Daventry charity sets up new comedy night fundraiser to provide greater support to families of disabled children

A Daventry charity that provides emotional support to parents of severely ill or disabled children organised a stand-up comedy charity event to raise more money for the cause.

All proceeds raised are donated to the charity, Harry’s Pals, which offers free counselling, therapy, respite breaks, and a mentoring service for parents.

The founder of Harry’s Pals, Hayley Charlesworth, from Newnham, said: “I think this is going to be our best comedy night yet. It’s going to be a really fun evening for an amazing local cause.”

The small charity has been working hard to overcome the gap in emotional support faced by parents throughout the country.

Hayley said: “It’s doing very well. Words are getting out. We are looking at partnering with more hospices at the moment. We’re supporting more families than ever before.

“I think January’s been our busiest month so far. It’s all going to plan, but fundraising is a constant job for me to make sure that we can meet the high demand.”

Three comedians are set to be on stage: headliner Matt Richardson, a multi-award-winning stand-up comedian and presenter who has made several TV appearances; Lindsey Santoro, an award-winning Birmingham-based comedian and British Comedian of the Year finalist; and Peter Brush, a BBC New Comedy Award finalist and BBC writer.

Comedian Paul Revill will be the compere for the night, supporting a Harry’s Pals comedy night for the second time.

“You’re going to get a great night out of it. The comedians are all really high calibre and really making a name for themselves.

“I’m really excited about seeing them, especially Matt Richardson, who has been on our TV for a while. Quite often, you’d have to pay a lot of money to go and see him, so you’re getting to see him plus three other fantastic comedians for £20, which is going to support families with severely ill and disabled children,” said Hayley.

The comedy night is set to take place at Pasha’s Bar, in Daventry, on Friday, May 10. Doors open at 7pm, with the show starting at 7.30pm and ending at 10.30pm.

Pasha’s Bar, owned by Mahmut (Ata) Raydemir and his wife, Pammy, who have been running the award-winning Alacati Grill since 2020, opened its doors in February 2023 in Market Square, Daventry.

“We decided to host it at Pasha’s bar because it’s a nice central location. The venue is fantastic, especially for a comedy night. It’s a really nice atmosphere with good food and drinks. It’s a perfect place for a comedy night,” said Hayley.

Food is served at the venue, and free parking is available.

The event is sponsored by Hunters Coaches of Daventry, a family-run company under new ownership since January 2023, offering transport nationally.

Tickets can be booked through the Harry's Pals JustGiving page to support the charity and serve more families around the country. Donations of £20 per person are required, along with the full names of those attending.