Frequent fundraising sister act to host a ‘glamorous’ ball in aid of Cosham cancer charity

Hilsea sisters Carly O'Brien, 28, and Demi Baker, 29, are holding the charity ball at the Marriott Hotel in North Harbour, Portsmouth, on Saturday.

Every year they pick a charity to support and this December’s event will back Cosham-based Friends Fighting Cancer.

The sisters lost their two-year-old cousin Eddie Hugill to leukaemia two years ago, and saw their auntie Jo Hugill and family struggle.

‘We just want to give something back to the community,’ Demi says.

‘We have previously raised for Great Ormond Street (Hospital) and this year we wanted to help a local charity,’ Demi says.

The sisters chose to support Friends Fighting Cancer, which started in 2009 as a charity football match but has since expanded, working with organisations such as Rowans Hospice and Macmillan Cancer Support.

Founder of the charity, Ray Ogilvie, said: ‘It’s a platform for those to remember those they’ve lost, we fundraise and give support in the local area, providing weekly grants to families affected by cancer.’

Ray and his family will be attending the ball on Saturday along with other members of the charity.

‘We can’t wait, we love a bit of Motown and it’s people like Carly and Demi that make it possible for us to help local families,’ Ray says.

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On choosing the ball’s cause, Carly said: ‘My partner has been involved in the football scene, and I just love to help people, plus we get to dress up and look glamorous.’

This latest fundraising drive comes after the sisters previously raised £20,000 for a young local boy needing stem cell surgery.

They have been supporting city-based causes for nine years, aiding bereaved families with funeral costs, and donating funds to homelessness charities.

‘We raised over £20,000 for a little local boy who needed stem cell surgery – we did events and auctions to fundraise the money,’ Carly said.

‘I’m always willing to help out with different charities, I just really enjoy helping people.’

The sold-out event will see a performance from Whitney Houston tribute act Levena Johnson, providing guests with a night of soul and Motown classics.

There will also be a three-course meal and raffle.

Individuals and businesses have supported the event, including the Coldeast Mansion in Fareham which donated a £100 voucher.

Donor Steve Hide has provided £200 worth of Amazon vouchers.

To find out more about the charity visit facebook.com/FFCcharity

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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