A Nottingham developer has smashed its fundraising target to send dozens of sick children and their families to visit Santa Claus in Lapland. Arran Bailey, managing director of ALB Group, hosted a ‘Night at the Fair’ charity black tie ball at Goosedale in Papplewick on Saturday 11 October. Thanks to the generosity of local business people and celebrities, £151,040 was raised for local charity, When You Wish Upon A Star Foundation’s Lapland trip. The achievement means ALB Giving can now fund seats on the plane for between 35-40 children and their families. The total sum needed to fund the plane was £130,000. Arran said: “When You Wish Upon a Star is a charity close to my heart. The work they do is inspiring. “We set ourselves an ambitious target to raise enough donations to sponsor a plane to fly children with life threatening and terminal illnesses to Lapland for an unforgettable opportunity to meet the real Santa Claus. Thanks to everyone’s generosity, we have achieved that goal. “I’d personally like to thank all those who bought tickets to the ball, donated prizes, made a bid at our charity auction or bought raffle tickets. We’ve been blown away by your generosity, and I cannot thank you enough. “What we have achieved together for the children is tremendous.” ALB Giving, the charity arm of ALB group, announced the black-tie event in May. Within 24 hours 75 per cent of the tables available had been snapped up. Guests flooded in from a range of Nottinghamshire businesses with high profile names including Carl Froch and his wife, and TOWIE’s Tommy Fordham. Donations for raffle prizes and auction lots included signed boxing gloves donated by both Carl Froch and Leigh Wood. Experience trips up for grabs included a private tour of the Ferrari garage in Italy, donated by Graypaul Nottingham, and opportunity to meet and greet Tommy Fordham and design your own trainers working with his brand Ctrne. The star prize of the night for a ticket on the plane to Lapland created fierce bidding with bids starting at £1,000. This quickly soared to £10,000.00, at which point the bidding was halted by guest auctioneer and sports commentator Darren Fletcher, and four different people agreed to pay the same price putting a wallet busting £40k into the charity’s pot. When You Wish Upon a Star was founded in Nottingham by Barbara White CIOF OBE. It is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. Since 1990, the charity has granted over 19,300 Wishes to sick children across the UK. Its specially chartered Santa Express flight to Lapland is the highlight of the year and helps children to swap hospital beds for sleigh rides and Santa Claus meets. Arran said: “As a successful Nottingham firm that champions our hometown, we wanted to give back to our supporters and community. To put on a ‘never to be forgotten’ event, to thank our friends, customers and contacts whilst also raising a tremendous amount of money for such a worthwhile charity has been a privilege.” Joe Williamson, CEO of the charity, said: “Everyone at When You Wish Upon a Star has been so excited about the ALB Giving Ball and the incredible opportunity it presented to make dreams come true for the children we support. A trip to Lapland is one our wish families will never forget. “Events like this are the heartbeat of our charity, and it’s truly heartwarming to see such generosity and enthusiasm from everyone involved. I want to extend my huge appreciation to the entire ALB team for their unwavering commitment and support, your passion and kindness are helping to create magical moments that these children and their families will cherish forever.”

A Long Eaton childcare apprenticeship expert has been recognised nationally for her exceptional impact on the early years sector. Kate Bickley, head of apprenticeships at Storal, has won the Outstanding Contribution Award at the Nursery World Awards 2025, which celebrate excellence across early years education. Kate has devoted her career to early years education for more than two decades. She began as a nursery nurse in 2000 and has gone on to specialise in training and workforce development. Over the years, she has supported hundreds of apprentices to qualify and progress, while also helping colleagues across the sector grow in confidence and skill. Today, she leads Storal’s national apprenticeship programme, shaping the careers of the next generation of early years professionals. The Outstanding Contribution Award recognises an ‘unsung hero’ in early years education – someone whose dedication, experience and support for others make a lasting difference. Kate became head of early years apprenticeships for Storal following the acquisition of Children 1st Day Nurseries in 2024. Prior to this, she spent more than a decade as director of training at the Children 1st Academy, where she was responsible for the professional development of more than 600 staff across 24 nurseries. Commenting on her award, Kate said: “I’m absolutely over the moon. Supporting apprentices and colleagues to develop their skills and confidence is something I’ve always been passionate about, and to see so many of them flourish in their careers is what makes this job so special. To be recognised in this way for doing something I love means the world to me.” Sarah Mackenzie, CEO of Storal, said: “Kate thoroughly deserves this award, and we are incredibly proud to see her contribution recognised on a national stage. “She has devoted her career to training and supporting others, and the results speak for themselves. Over the years, she has guided hundreds of apprentices and colleagues, helping them to gain qualifications, grow in confidence and build lasting careers in early years education. “What sets Kate apart is her ability to combine real expertise with genuine care for the people she supports. She inspires those around her and is a role model for both new entrants to the sector and experienced practitioners alike. We are lucky to have her as part of Storal.”