The 2023 City of Peterborough Swimming Club (COPS) Ball was a major corporate and community fundraising event held on October 6, 2023. It was organized and hosted by the local luxury car dealership Junction 17 Cars.
Purpose and Financial Goal
The main objective of the evening was to rally local business support and kickstart a £50,000 fundraising target.
- The Cause: As a completely self-funded, non-profit athletic organisation, COPS relies almost entirely on basic membership fees to survive.
- The Need: The £50,000 sum was designated entirely to buy independent, Olympic-grade electronic timing equipment and digital scoreboards.
- The Impact: Owning this equipment allows the club to host its own licensed swimming galas and open meets (such as their annual Winter Meet) without paying high rental fees for external hardware.
Event Status & Promotion
The gala was highly anticipated by the community and was announced as completely sold out ahead of the October date. To maximize the fundraising impact, Junction 17 Cars coupled the live ticketed event with a promotional video campaign and online donation links so businesses and families who couldn’t attend could still pledge financial support. The Ball raised just over £15000, there was a sit down 3 course meal, champagne reception, live entertainment and a DJ, Raffle prizes and a live and silent auction. It was a huge success.
