DCM Sponsors The Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund Summer Party 2014

The Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund Annual Summer Party 2014

The Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund (CTBF) held its annual summer party last Thursday to raise awareness and funds for this noble cause. Now in its 90th year, the CTBF continues to support people who work behind the scenes in the film, cinema and commercial television industries. The organisation exists to support creatives, production professionals, marketers and administration staff from script to screen, who find themselves in times of need for one reason or another.

The CTBF can provide financial support and pastoral care to cinema, film and television practitioners who are experiencing extreme hardship due to ill health, redundancy or other unfortunate circumstances. In addition to one-off grants and regular payments to those in need, the fund also runs the Glebelands Care Home, providing residential care and full nursing, amongst other projects. To find our more about what they do www.ctbf.co.uk/what-we-do.php

The theme of the Summer Party was a ‘Masked Ball’, so we decided to recruit some make-up artists to create some amazing masks for us, and some of our Exhibition partners.

Getting ready for the evening at DCM Towers

The event began with a drinks reception at DCM HQ, in our new offices on the Euston Road, at which point we all got into character. It was great to be joined by so many of our Exhibition partners - Picturedrome, Genesis, Zefferellis, Reel, PDJ Management and Savoy among others.

The majority of the ladies went for beautiful flower orientated face masks. The detail was incredible. We also had the Joker, the Terminator and the Phantom of the Opera, as well as some classic eye masks.

The DCM team and guests en route to the Tower

Once ‘made-up’ we then travelled over to the Tower of London, where the event was to be held, in a marquee at the foot of the Tower. A superb location. We also proved a hit with many of the tourists, myself and fellow colleague Ed McClaren of Business Development were even asked to have our photo taken by passing children - which is testament to the quality of the make-up artists.

Left to right: Savoy Cinema's James Collington, DCM's Rebecca Rau, Savoy Cinema's Mark Welberry and DCM's Sophie Winchester

James Collington

James Collington

Following a champagne reception, we were escorted in to dine and be entertained. And entertained we were. Our exuberant host, stand-up comedian, Patrick Monahan, aided by Vanessa Feltz, did not hesitate in getting some of the most elaborately dressed up on the stage posing and strutting their stuff. Hat’s off, and wigs off, to Eddie Hurst of Vue, who won an award for his Marie Antoinette outfit for the evening – which was thoroughly deserved due to the pain and heat he experienced throughout the evening.

Vue's Eddie Hurst as Marie-Antoinette

The event also reminded us what it’s all about, with an incredibly moving story from a cancer survivor who was helped by the CTBF. All in all it was a very entertaining evening, which succeed in raising over £150,000 for the CTBF, making it the most successful summer party yet. Bring on next year!

For more information about The Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund, click here.