Just grand - Pennine Mencap’s fundraising comedy night raises over £1,000

Pennine Mencap, the Oldham charity dedicated to supporting individuals with learning disabilities and their families/carers, raised more than £1,000 at their recent comedy fund-raiser.

The group raised £865 in ticket sales, a further £270 in raffle ticket sales, totalling £1,135 in much-needed funds for the charity, which will go towards funding running costs and putting on more exciting events.

A selection of the best and brightest up and coming comics from the British scene graced Royton’s Band Club venue, to serve up lashings of laughter to the Royton regulars.

Colin Manford was a revelation as MC, and his witty observations tied the night together as he introduced each act on the bill.

Jarrow-born turned Manc local Lee Kyle dazzled the crowd in a pair of shiny gold brogues, which gleamed in harmony with his material.

He effortlessly broke the ice with quickfire surreal audience interaction, with more than a few nods to the joys and challenges of existing with ADHD, he even threw some comedic punches at Pennine Mencap Chairman and Trustee, Elliot Sparks, which went down a treat with staff and service users in attendance.

Lee then stayed for the rest of the evening to enthusiastically support his fellow comics.

Dominic Hatton-Woods shared deadpan material about his father’s questionable life choices, failing to reach the expectations of a middle-class boarding-school upbringing and whether he is in fact autistic or not.

Dom was utterly lovable, and half the audience wanted to adopt him by the end of his set: he is certainly an up and comer to keep your eyes on.

Headliner Vince Atta (pictured above) kicked the evening up a notch with his infectious, high-energy comedy about race and identity before taking us into uncharted territory.

Atta’s beat boxing, looping and improvised rap was a huge moment on the night, with the comedian riffing on everything from Gary Neville to the wondrous black pudding hamper on offer in our big raffle.

Vince then acted as the independent adjudicator as Chairman Elliot generated the random numbers for the raffle draw before MC Colin brought the night to a close.

Elliot Sparks, Pennine Mencap Trustee and Chairman, said: “The whole evening was fantastic, there is something so infectious about live comedy, and being able to combine it with a raffle filled with prizes generously donated by local businesses made this night a real dream.

"We have put comedy nights on before, but we have never raised so much, or laughed so much as we did with Colin, Lee, Dom and Vince."

Pennine Mencap is a charitable organisation committed to improving the lives of individuals with learning disabilities and autism.

The organization provides a range of services and support to create a more inclusive and empowered local community.

For more information about Pennine Mencap and the exciting events they have coming up, please visit the website here

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