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Glitter Ball

Our Story

During the summer of 2025, Joel’s transition to being a full-time wheelchair user was difficult.

Being “different” has taken a huge toll on his mental health, and as a family, we’ve all found our new normal challenging.

Joel is about to enter his final year of school and transition to college. We are hoping that starting college will have the same positive impact on him as it did on Ashley.

Joel loves Lego, learning to cook, and caring for animals. He enjoys gaming and anything superhero-related.

He now has the companionship he’s craved in his assistance dog, Quill, and spends a lot of time training him.

One of Joel’s favourite hobbies is swimming; he is able to move about with ease and without the restriction of a wheelchair.

Standard swim classes and pools cannot accommodate Joel’s needs because of the additional equipment required to be able to get in and out of the pool, and the water temperature needs to be suitable for swimmers that are able to move around less.

We have found a lovely disabled swimming group that welcomed Joel. His mobility differences and his other additional needs are met, and he is part of a club for the first time.

Joel is very reserved, very grumpy, and he has little confidence, but when he does let his guard down, he has an amazing sense of humour and can be great company.

Joel has participated in a clinical trial for many years; he continues to get weekly infusions of this drug, on compassionate use, while the efficacy of the drug has been fully evaluated.

Joel was also one of the first boys in our area to be granted early access in July 2025 to the new drug, which was formally approved in the UK in May 2026, for boys that are still walking. This is the same drug that Ashley is taking as part of a clinical trial for boys who are no longer walking.

Having two treatments to slow down the progression will hopefully help maintain his upper body and respiratory functions to give him a better quality of life.

Ashley has been a full-time wheelchair user for a number of years, and he found it difficult being “different” for a long time.

Since starting college, Ashley now has a friendship group for the first time; his friends see him, not the wheelchair, and accept that it is just how he gets around.

Ashley loves gaming; he is the captain of a Powered Wheelchair football team and he’s wanting to venture into coaching players. Ashley loves to bake (and eat) cakes.

He is kind, empathetic, and is very quick-witted, all great qualities for a coach, doing something he loves.

Ashley knows that since his diagnosis, we have fundraised mainly for research and we’ve been “chasing the cure”.

This cure is unlikely to exist in his lifetime, and he has been on three clinical trials for potential treatments.

What is also important is living life, his here and now, and there is a balance to be had, making the most of the time he has, to live a full and happy life.

He is currently participating in a clinical trial, which is focusing on the effect of a new drug for boys that can no longer walk.

This new drug was approved in the UK to be prescribed for boys that can still walk in May 2026.

This was monumental; it’s taken over 40 years to reach this stage of developing a drug that helps protect the muscles and has been proven to keep boys walking for longer.

The trial Ashley is on will hopefully pave the way for this treatment for those boys that can no longer walk too, helping keep their arms and upper body functioning for longer.

Having a treatment to potentially slow down the progression of this cruel condition fills us with hope for a better quality of life for Ashley, for longer. He is different, not less.

Both Joel and Ashley have a condition called Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) and that is how their families met.

DMD is life-limiting, progressive muscle wasting condition. There is still no treatment available to all affected by Duchenne in the UK, there certainly isn’t a cure. It remains 100% fatal.
A condition affecting mainly boys, it can randomly affect any family. Neither Joel nor Ashley have this in their family history.

DMD is cruel, it just continues to rapidly take away the abilities of those affected. Most boys are full time wheelchair users in their early teens, often earlier. Life expectancy has increased with better standards of care to mid-to-late 20’s but some are taken much younger due heart and respiratory muscle complications.

Our Purpose from 2027

The Hollywood Glitter Ball has been an annual event running for over a decade. Our purpose is to support Ashley & Joel whilst also helping the disabled community. This has included donations to charities that research and help families living with Muscular Dystrophy and moving forward, championing smaller, local organisations that promote sport inclusion for disabled people. Often operating with limited resources, these grassroots charities are essential in creating opportunities for individuals to participate in both individual and team-based sports, building confidence, connection, and independence.

Our Next Event

We’d love you to join us

Event Information

Book Tickets

More about our event

Our 10th Hollywood Glitter Ball is taking place on
Saturday 22 May 2027 at the Mercure Hull Grange Park Hotel, East Yorkshire. What a party it will be!

Our venue, a 19th Century Manor House, has 100 bedrooms for those that love to stay over and make a weekend of it catching up with friends.

Hotel bedrooms have previously sold out so we advise you book any room requirements as soon as you can.

We ask guests to arrive at 6pm for 6.30pm please

Bring the Glam

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Garlic Dough Balls

Roasted Breast of Chicken, a Red Onion & Thyme Stuffing with a Rich Chicken Sauce 

Warm Chocolate Brownie with Ice Cream (GF)

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**Roasted Mediterranean Vegetable Cous Cous, Rocket and Chickpea Falafel (V) (Ve)

**Carrot and Apricot Chutney Wellington, Seasonal Vegetables and Hasselback potatoes (V) (Ve)

**Sticky Toffee Pudding with Toffee Sauce and Custard (V) (Ve) (GF)

**This menu is by advanced pre-order please

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We are able to cater for any additional specific dietary requirements with advanced notice.
Just let us know, ideally when you are reserving your tickets.

From party classics to dancefloor favourites, our DJ duo from Luxx Events UK will keep those dancing feet moving long into the night.

Get ready for our silent auction and raffle, packed with incredible prizes and unforgettable experiences.

Once the winners are announced, the celebrations continue as our DJs keep the party going into the early hours.

New for 2027 — entry into all three Heads & Tails games is included with your ticket. It’s your chance to win fantastic prizes, with a few surprise spot prizes appearing throughout the night.

For memorabilia collectors and sports fans, we’ll be featuring signed items and exclusive pieces from legendary footballers and sporting icons, alongside memorabilia from the worlds of music, television, theatre, and film.

You’ll also have the chance to bid on amazing experiences and ticketed events, from live gigs and comedy nights to theatre performances and more.

Tickets are on sale priced at £55 per person which includes entry into the fabulous Heads & Tails giveaways.

https://fienta.com/the-10th-hollywood-glitter-ball-2027

Please contact Lesley, Emma or info@hollywoodglitterball.co.uk with any queries.

For the Star Wars and Superheroes fans, we’ve some very special guests joining us.

Charge up your phones, you won’t want to miss the photo opportunities! A Professional Photographer will be clicking away throughout the evening, feel free to call him over to your table for group photos. Images will be uploaded for guests to save and share their favourites.