Castle Charity Ball 2024

Step through the wardrobe and into the enchanting realm of the Castle Charity Ball: A Night in Narnia, on June 1st, 2024. From May 1st, 2024, tickets will whisk you away to a world of magic and wonder, where countless entertainment and performances await! Prepare to be dazzled by an entertaining spectacle, while indulging in a scrumptious three-course meal meticulously crafted to elevate your dining experience.

As you revel in the magic of the evening, remember that your presence supports two worthy causes: 'Castle Community Action' and 'The Rainbow Trust.' Join us for a night unlike any other, where dreams become reality and every moment is filled with wonder. Mark your calendars, secure your tickets, and prepare for a journey into the fantastical world of the Castle Charity Ball: A Night in Narnia.

About our ball

At this annual ball, we welcome hundreds of Durham Postgraduates and guests into Durham Castle for an amazing night of food and entertainment! 

A key objective of the ball is to raise a huge sum of money to selected charities through ticket profits and donations. At Castle MCR, we believe giving back to our local community is paramount, tying into our college motto, ‘Non Nobis Solum’, meaning ‘Not for ourselves alone’ in Latin.

In the past 4 years, Castle Charity Ball has raised more than £22000 for charity!

"A Night in Narnia" is a magical theme inspired by the beloved novel "Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis". It transports you to a world of enchantment and wonder, where you can experience the thrill of adventure and the warmth of friendship. With its whimsical decor and mystical ambiance, "A Night in Narnia" is sure to leave a lasting impression on our guests.

About theTickets

We offer two types of tickets: Dining and Ents.

A Dining Ticket includes:

Complimentary alcoholic/non-alcoholic drink at a welcome reception.
Luxurious three-course meal in the Durham Castle Great Hall (menu will be announced soon, but all dietary requirements can be catered for).
Access to a range of entertainment, live acts, photography (and lots more!) from arrival time (approx. 5:30 pm) to finish (2 am) across the Castle!

An Ents Ticket Includes

Complimentary alcoholic/non-alcoholic drink at a welcome reception.
Access to a range of entertainment, live acts, photography (and lots more!) from arrival time (approx. 8 pm) to finish (2 am) across the Castle!

Dining

- £65 for Castle MCR Members

- £85 for all others

Ents

- £37 for Castle MCR Members

- £57 for all others

Students from all colleges are welcome to attend! Even though this is a postgraduate run ball, undergraduates are welcome! You will be asked for your college affiliation upon sign up.

The menu for dinner is listed on the sign-up page. You will be asked for your meal choice and dietary requirements at a later date. Table groups and drink preferences will also be collected at a later date.

Tickets are in high demand. Be sure to mark your calendars to sign up quickly!

Charities

This year our chosen charities are Castle Community Action (CCA) and Rainbow Trust Children's Charity.

We are proud that we will be donating 100% of the ball profits between these two charitable causes equally. We are also fundraising by encouraging attendees and others to donate to increase our total donation amount.

Castle Charity Ball is one of University College's biggest annual events. The lead organiser is the Castle MCR Ball Chair (an elected position on the Executive Committee) who is supported by the Castle MCR Ball Committee (a team of enthusiastic and creative Castle MCR Ordinary Members)

At this annual ball, we welcome hundreds of Castle MCR Members (at as discounted rate), Durham Postgraduates and guests into Durham Castle for an amazing night of food and entertainment!

A key objective of the ball is to raise a huge sum of money to selected charities through ticket profits and donations. Durham University is a privileged establishment and at Castle MCR, we believe giving back to our local community is paramount. This ties in with our college motto, 'Non Nobis Solum', meaning 'Not for ourselves alone' in latin.

Castle Community Action is the community outreach committee at Castle, they run events all around Durham to benefit the local community, They also have a huge team, which means that there's always something to get involved in. They believe in bridging the gap between town and gown.

The Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity that provides emotional and practical support to families with a life-threatening or terminally ill child. This charity links up families with a worker who provides care to all members of the family, including the ill child, parents, siblings and grandparents by being a shoulder to lean on, as well as doing many things such as keeping the child company in the hospital and aiding with transportation to and from the hospital. This charity cares for all of England but is close to home with care workers in Durham.

Click here to learn more

Donate to our charities here

We are proud that we will be donating 100% of the ball profits between these three charitable causes equally†. We are also fundraising by encouraging attendees and others to donate to top up our total donation amount.

†80% of the direct profit made from this year’s MCR charity ball will be donated to the chosen charities. In compliance with the MCR’s standing orders, 20% of the direct profit made from this year’s MCR charity ball will be added to the ‘future MCR charity ball insurance fund. However, the MCR will match this value (providing it does not exceed 25% of the ball’s operating expenses) and donate it to the chosen charities so the total amount donated will be equivalent to 100% of profits going to the charities. The donated amount from the MCR will be sourced from unused committee budgets from May 2020 - May 2021. If you would like a more in-depth description please contact the Castle MCR Treasurer at treasurer.castlemcr@durham.ac.uk. You can find a copy of our standing orders here: https://www.castlemcr.co.uk/documents.