90th Birthday Ball raises over £2,500 for Charity

The numbers certainly add up for Sussex-based chartered accountants and tax advisers, Carpenter Box LLP. Not only is the firm celebrating 90 years in business, it also raised over £2,500 for a local hospital charity at a gala ball in Worthing organised to enable clients, associates and staff to share the landmark anniversary.

More than 250 guests enjoyed a three course meal followed by a full evening of entertainment at the celebration Charity Birthday Ball held at the Pavilion Theatre in Worthing. The event was themed around the 20s, 30s and 40s and many guests entered the fancy dress parade, modelling a whole range of attire from that era. A dance demonstration from some Charleston experts who encouraged guests to ‘have a go’, followed by live music and dancing to the retro rock’n’roll band the Deloreans, all made for a very enjoyable evening.

The Ball was the brainchild of Practice Director Chris Coopey who spent many months planning the occasion and acting as compere on the night. Managing Partner John Billings welcomed everyone to the event including Worthing West MP Sir Peter Bottomley and his wife Virginia, Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone and the Mayor of Worthing, Cllr Robert Smytherman and his Mayoress Cllr Norah Fisher, together with her Labradoodle assistance dog ‘Herbie’.

Billings was thrilled that so many people had supported the event commenting: “This is a great opportunity for us to celebrate our history and our longevity with contacts and clients from Sussex and beyond, whilst doing our bit for a great charity”. He gave a brief history of the practice and how it had developed from the original partnership between Mr Harold Box and Mr Robert Carpenter back in the 1920s.  Their firm – Carpenter Box – became one of those hard to forget names that are the domain of just a few law and accountancy firms up and down the country.  Before proposing a toast to the firm Peter Bennett, President of the Worthing and Adur Chamber of Commerce related to the audience that the firm is listed with membership number one at the chamber. The very  first member of the Worthing Chamber of Commerce.

Known for its combination of professionalism and personality and with a headcount of over 100, Carpenter Box is now one of the largest independent accountancy practices in the South East region and is also a founder member of MHA, a national association of like-minded accountancy practices as well as a member of Morison International, a similar organisation with representation in over 65 countries.

All proceeds from the Ball were donated to the ‘Love Your Hospital Charity’ which supports hospitals in Southwick, Worthing and Chichester and which has raised almost £10 million in the past 15 years to fund projects that the NHS has been unable to afford.

Carpenter Box is no stranger to fund raising and has over the years raised tens of thousands of pounds for good causes, both national and local.  In 2010 they even formed their own Charitable Foundation, which has since made grants and donations totalling over £38,000.

 

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