A 20-year-old tetraplegic artist auctioned one of his paintings for a spinal charity raising £1,000.
And the unlucky second bidder pledged to match the amount if Sam James, from Diss, created him another artwork.
Sam, who was injured in an accident when he was 19 and has paralysis in all four limbs, was attending the Rooprai Spinal Trust’s (RST) annual ball.
RST sponsored the young man to access physiotherapy and Sam wanted to donate the artwork to help give back to the charity that had supported him.
Andy Uttridge, co-founder of the Hertford-based charity, said: “I think everyone was blown away by the painting and it was a definite high point of the evening.”
An incredible £27,000 was raised at the event at Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf & Spa on Saturday, November 23, which attracted more than 200 supporters of the charity based in Royston, Hertfordshire.
Andy said: “It was a fantastic evening that surpassed our expectations. To raise £27,000 in one evening is an amazing achievement and I am so grateful to everyone who attended and dug deep.”
With the theme, ‘Touch of the South’, the ball featured salsa dancers and a live band, with a silent auction receiving ongoing bids throughout the evening.
The main auction also included a signed Harry Kane shirt among the appealing lots.
The ball, which started in 2012 with an Olympics theme, has become a must on the social calendar for the charity and its supporters, combining a fun black-tie night out with the opportunity to raise funds for the Rooprai Trust.
The charity was started in 2005 by Andy and his partner Marrianne Rooprai who suffered life-changing injuries in a car accident in 2004. She was left paralysed from the shoulders down but continues to inspire others as she supports ongoing research projects.
