Community comes together to support youth mental health at 30th anniversary riverside fundraiser

The community is coming together to support youth mental health at a 30th anniversary riverside fundraiser and tickets are on sale now.

The much-loved Summer Soirée returns on Tuesday, June 24, celebrating its 30th anniversary and raising vital funds for The Charlie Waller Trust – the Newbury-based charity sdedicated to supporting the mental health and emotional wellbeing of young people across the UK.

The long-running event set in the beautiful riverside surroundings of Moulsford, just 30 minutes north of Newbury, promises to be a really special evening, with a summer dinner, boutique shopping and fantastic auction and raffle prizes – all in support of an incredibly important cause.

The fundraiser, formerly known as The Summer Lunch, is a local tradition, and is celebrating its 30th anniversary with this special evening in a stunning riverside setting in Moulsford.

This year’s milestone soiree celebration provides the chance for friends and families to come together in support of a cause that’s never been more relevant.

All proceeds will go directly to the Charlie Waller Trust, whose work in schools, universities and workplaces helps equip young people with the tools and support they need to look after their mental health.

Tickets are limited and expected to sell quickly, and so to find out more or to book, people should visit www.thesummersoiree.com

Charlie Waller was a strong, funny, popular, good-looking and kind young man, with a close and loving family.

He was the life and soul of every party, a talented actor with a mesmerising stage presence and a formidable rugby player.

He was also flying high in his chosen career in advertising.

To the outside world, he had everything to live for.

Yet in September 1997, at the age of 28, Charlie died by suicide.

He was suffering from depression and felt he no longer had the strength to carry on.

Shortly afterwards, in response to this tragedy, his family founded the Charlie Waller Trust – now based at Kingfisher Court, Newbury.

This was at a time when depression and mental health were significantly less well understood and talked about than they are today.

Its mission was to open up the conversation around depression, to ensure that young people are able to understand and look after their own mental health and to spot the signs in others, and know how and where to access help.

It was determined that Charlie’s death would not be in vain.