The Mayor of Southend-on-Sea, Councillor Nigel Folkard, will host a charity variety gala dinner on Friday 25 April 2026 to raise money for two local causes. The event, which is set to take place at 19:30 at the Leigh Community Centre, will feature performances from local talent including comedy, song, and dance.
All proceeds from the evening will support the Mayor’s chosen charities for the 2025/26 year: Southend in Sight and the Mid and South Essex Hospitals Charity. Southend in Sight provides practical help and social activities for people living with sight loss, continuing work they have carried out since 1958. Funds raised for the Mid and South Essex Hospitals Charity will go toward their Dandelion Appeal, which works to improve end-of-life care across local hospitals by providing items like memory boxes, specialist chairs, and bereavement packs.
Tickets for the gala are priced at £15 and can be purchased through TicketSource. The event will be held at the Leigh Community Centre, a facility operated by Leigh-on-Sea Town Council, which has served as a local hub since 2012.
Councillor Folkard, who was elected as the 104th Mayor of Southend-on-Sea in May 2025, has made supporting these health and welfare services a primary focus of his mayoral year. The fundraising tradition continues the work of previous officeholders, including Councillor Ron Woodley, who raised £50,000 for local charities during his own term.
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