Support 16 days of activism with Teddy Bear Clinic’s medieval ball

As a fundraising event to sponsor and empower children to testify about their abuse in court, the evening will include celebrity guests and auctions of holidays, wine and jewellery. All proceeds raised will go to the Teddy Bear Clinic for Abused Children.

Donor liaison officer, Dalene Bishop highlighted that the biggest deficit in funding for the non-profit organisation is in the support needed to assist children in their court preparation for trials related to abuse. She said it was important to raise awareness around the secondary trauma which afflicts young victims of abuse when they have to relive their ordeals in the court process.

“The Teddy Bear Clinic has been around for 28 years, and takes children through the journey of healing. They each get a teddy bear which acts like a travelling companion for them, from the medical examination, to counselling, to the court,” said Bishop.

The ball will be held on 28 November at the Parktonian Protea Hotel, tickets will be R550 per person, or R6 000 for a corporate table of 10. A tax-deductible 18a Certificate can be issued for corporate ticket buyers.

Child minders will also be made available at the hotel for the evening, and the hotel has offered a special price of R780 a night for attendees who wish to stay over.

Attendees are invited to dress in medieval-themed attire, and can expect an evening of entertainment.

Bishop said, “In medieval times, women were considered wenches, but the ball is aiming to turn the idea of women’s status around by addressing them as queens.”

The 16 days of activism runs from 25 November to 10 December.

Details: daleneb@ttbc.org.za; 011 484 4554; 083 469 9196.