Wish List Fund Gala Success at La Meridiana in Marbella
The great and the good gathered for a high octane charity event at restaurant La Meridiana in aid of Cuidad de los Niños children’s home in Malaga. Louise Cook Edwards reports.
Photography Gary Edwards
The Cuidad de los Niños children’s home in Malaga could soon see its wishes come true, thanks to the generosity and support of Marbella’s high society. A gala evening was held at the chic restaurant La Meridiana Alabardero on Marbella’s prestigious Golden Mile, where a full programme of entertainment and a gourmet cocktail party was staged for the two hundred party-loving guests.
Organized by the glamorous Esther Adan and Muriel Rens, few society figures were missing from this upbeat event featuring a girl sax band, creative canapes and a host of desirable raffle prizes.
Among the most notable guests present were Marbella Mayor, Angeles Muñoz, Manolo Santana, Natasha Romanov, Nina Wendelboe, Kristina Szekely and Saeko Hamada – “madrina” of the event, all of whom showed their compassionate side by supporting the charity in need of funds to build a new centre to house the children. Many of Marbella’s top professionals also turned out to pledge solidarity for the children’s future – among them Laura Stanbridge, Masha Malka, Renee Coppinger, Lyle Pewsey and Wolfgang Schlesier.
A Magical Evening
The evening progressed with a wonderful magic show, involving plenty of audience participation, and superb performances from a series of entertainers including the sultry Natasha Romanov, and grand finale from Rebecca Tate.
Popular Talk Radio Europe boss, Maurice Boland, roused the crowd into spending money on the raffle – and winners were delighted to receive top brand, luxury prizes generously donated by local businesses. Perhaps the most poignant part of the evening was when guests gathered in the gardens of the restaurant to release “wish” balloons tailed with sparklers up into the air – filling the night skies with shimmering light, and also the powerful magic of hopes and dreams.
The result of the evening has gone a long way to satisfy the immediate wishes of the Cuidad de los Niños children’s home which is in dire need of funding for a new centre. Aside from raising a considerable sum to help the cause, this event has created much needed awareness for a charity close to home. Full credit must be given to the organizers who released a breakdown of funds raised, including full details of the costs of the event just two days after the event- something of a rarity among the many charity events hosted here on the Costa del Sol. Almost 12,000 euros were raised – and a sponsored walk in the hillside of La Mairena, open to all, is being organized in order to try and raise in total 15,000 euros. Walkers are meeting at Opencor Elviria at 10.30am on Sunday 25 April to raise more funds and much needed hope for some of the needy children of Malaga.
