TRUE British bulldog spirit was in evidence at Saturday night’s Party At The Palace.

The weather threw everything at us from the very beginning, but nothing was going to stop our fantastic supporters from enjoying themselves. Brollies and wellies at the ready in the torrential rain, they were clearly out to have a good time.

An amazing selection of musicians were determined to raise the spirits of the crowds throughout the day with the help of Richard Stead from Minster FM. Not even the most violent of thunderstorms was going to spoil the day.

The expertise and good humour of Kevin Wilson and Mark Brayshaw ensured the entertainment ran smoothly, culminating in a spectacular firework display finale organised by Jitu Desai.

Our huge thanks go to everyone who supported the event, the wonderful musicians who played in the most adverse weather conditions, our corporate sponsors and our amazing band of volunteers.

Finally, our grateful thanks go to the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, who generously allowed us the use of his home and grounds to stage the event, and to the staff from Bishopthorpe Palace who made our job such a pleasure from start to finish.

Judy Wilson, Events fundraiser, St. Leonard’s Hospice, Tadcaster Road, York.