St Helens Chamber’s Annual Dinner Dance took place at Haydock Park Racecourse in January, welcoming guest speaker Johnny Vegas back onto home territory.

The Chamber’s black tie networking event of the year saw over 250 guests in attendance to be entertained, network and raise money for charity.

Johnny Vegas has become one of Britain’s best-loved comic actors but as guests discovered, before he came to fame, he attended Catholic boarding-school St Joseph’s College to train for the priesthood. Feeling homesick, he returned home after just four terms, going on to embark on a career in comedy. Guests on the evening we treated to an hilarious example of Johnny’s very own brand of comedy.

The headline news from the evening was the £10,000 which was raised for charity, through auction and other fundraising activities. The funds will be split equally between The Steve Prescott Foundation and Willowbrook Hospice.

Lucky auction bidders on the night took home some fantastic prizes including a signed Anthony Joshua framed montage, a luxury Spa Package from Chill Out Spa, two tickets for a luxury trip on the Orient Express, four tickets for a Haydock Park Race Day, including lunch in the Kauto Star restaurant, and two tickets to a recording of 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown.