Rae Evans
7th January 2022
Transition Partners is delighted to be collaborating with a newly created board of tech leaders to establish the Leeds Digital Ball. . The ball aims to bridge the digital divide and drive a positive change within the City and the wider region. The prestigious black-tie event will be an occasion that can’t be missed, taking place on the 28th of April 2022 at the historic Queen’s Hotel ballroom. Guests will be welcomed by a celebrity host, enjoy cocktails and a three-course meal, have the opportunity to bid for some exclusive items in a charity auction and then dance to a live band as they come together with the hope to raise over £100k.
Deep inequalities are created by digital exclusion, and it’s a facet that runs through the local community’s social fabric. Since the onset of social distancing in the UK, some semblance of normality – or at least of productivity – has only been possible to maintain because of the networks of digital technologies and platforms already in place. Those people on the wrong side of the digital divide are deprived of the opportunities that digital innovation brings, and this is an essential issue that the board are keen to highlight.
Sandra Patel Stewart and Elly Nettleton have dreamed of creating the ball for some time. They see this as an opportunity for the tech ecosystem to tackle the underlying causes of digital exclusion and raise funds to tackle the socio-economic disparity that may exist in communities across the City. The event will be an excellent opportunity for the tech community to celebrate all the hard work they have done so far whilst helping those in need.
“Through widening access and improving digital skills, we can build a more equitable society that not only supports aspirational tech leaders of the future but the ecosystem also. “Commented Sandra.
After being introduced to the @Leeds Community Foundation, the region’s largest independent funder that focuses on creating a fair and inclusive society, their ideas began to come together, and their dreams have become a reality.
Creating a dedicated board that are passionate and invested in the outcomes that this event will create will make this event a success. Sandra and Elly have collaborated with Deb Hetherington, Eve Roodhouse, Mike Quate, Sarah Tulip, and Stuart Clarke, leading and hosting the ball. They hope to see it grow and become an annual event.
Sponsors already confirmed are Sky Betting and Gaming, Perform Partners, Leeds Building Society, Axiologik, Scott Logic, Hippo Digital UK, The Data Shed, Bruntwood SciTech, FluidIT Consulting, Nimble Approach and Sevensun.
Ticket sales are set to go live this January, but if you are interested in being involved in the most significant tech event the City has ever witnessed, please contact the team at Transition Partners.