A CHARITY supporting vulnerable Winchester families has been handed one of the biggest donations in its history after a local school used a glamorous party to raise money for struggling parents.

Friends of the Family Winchester was given £10,900 on Saturday after Pilgrims' School Parents' Association donated proceeds from its summer ball last year.

The group will now be able to offer more counselling and therapy for parents and children who have suffered hardship including mental health issues, isolation and abuse.

Two auctions, wine and ticket sales and a raffle raised enough for 436 counselling sessions, 218 days out with a child or 381 hours of volunteer training.

Viv Wheeler, chair of trustees, said the “amazing, exciting and entertaining” sales would fund three trainee counsellors hosting one-on-one sessions for vulnerable mothers.

“This money is going to make a lot of difference to supporting this particular group,” she said.

“Usually in a year in donations, we hope to raise about £15,000, so that's helped enormously to get us well on our way and has made a big difference.

“The school has been fantastic.”

Almost 350 people attended the party in July, bidding on items including a weekend in Morocco, a sushi masterclass at Kyoto Kitchen and a helicopter ride over the Isle of Wight. Two guests bid £1,000 to have Lucy Brown, head of pre-prep, babysit for the evening.

Ms Wheeler hopes raising awareness will encourage people to come forward for the charity's 5s-to-13s project, training volunteers to visit needy children at home.

Proceeds from the ball will also fund school improvements including a new changing room and cricket nets.