Sally Phillips will host The Big Table Group’s Dream Makers Ball 2026 in London, bringing her unmistakable wit, warmth and comic timing to one of next year’s most polished charity nights.
The event takes place on 16 September 2026 in the Ballroom at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London, with an evening built around entertainment, fundraising and the sort of room where the napkins behave better than most people at a wedding.
At its heart, though, the purpose is serious. The Dream Makers Ball will raise funds for Dreams Come True, the children’s charity supporting young people living with serious illnesses, disabilities and life-limiting conditions.
A Big London Night With A Bigger Purpose
The Dream Makers Ball is not being pitched as a quiet passing of the hat. It is designed as a full-scale charity evening, bringing together business leaders, philanthropists, celebrities and supporters for a night of dining, entertainment, fundraising and storytelling.
Guests can expect a champagne reception, premium dining, live entertainment, a fundraising auction and first-hand stories showing the impact Dreams Come True has on children and families across the UK.
That final bit matters most. The chandeliers may sparkle and the room may look splendid, but the real business of the night is turning generosity into experiences for children and families facing circumstances most people would struggle to imagine.
Why Sally Phillips Is Such A Strong Fit
Best known to many as Shazzer in the Bridget Jones films, Sally Phillips has long occupied that rare British entertainment space where sharp comedy and human warmth can sit in the same sentence without one elbowing the other off the stage.
She was also co-creator and star of the Emmy Award-winning comedy series Smack the Pony, a show whose comic timing was so precise it could probably putt from six feet under tournament pressure.
For a charity evening of this kind, that matters. A host needs to keep the room moving, land the light moments, respect the emotional ones and avoid sounding as though they have been assembled from laminated cue cards. Phillips has the right mix: funny, familiar, quick and clearly human.
Lisa King OBE, Chief Executive of Dreams Come True, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Sally Phillips will be hosting this year’s Dream Makers Ball. Sally brings incredible energy, humour and compassion, and we know she will help make the evening truly unforgettable. Following the phenomenal success of our inaugural ball, which raised £70,000, we are excited to build on that momentum and raise even more funds to support children who need us most.”
Will Bayley MBE Adds Sporting Steel To The Night
Joining Phillips on the evening will be Will Bayley MBE, Paralympic Gold Medallist and one of Britain’s most inspirational sporting figures.
Bayley will share his story of resilience, determination and achievement, which should give the night a sharper emotional edge. Charity events can sometimes drift into soft-focus sentimentality. A voice like Bayley’s brings lived grit, not greeting-card polish.
His presence also broadens the evening’s appeal beyond the entertainment and hospitality worlds, giving the Dream Makers Ball a strong sporting thread and another reason for guests to lean in rather than simply attend.
The Big Table Group’s Growing Charity Role
The Dream Makers Ball is supported by The Big Table Group, one of the UK’s leading hospitality businesses and operator of Bella Italia, Las Iguanas, Banana Tree, Frankie & Benny’s, Chiquito, Café Rouge and Amalfi.
With more than 200 restaurants and 5,000 team members nationwide, the group has become one of Dreams Come True’s most significant corporate supporters. Its fundraising for the charity has now passed £220,000 through colleague fundraising, customer campaigns and flagship events.
The inaugural Dream Makers Ball raised £70,000, a figure that helped Dreams Come True continue delivering experiences to children and families across the UK.
Alan Morgan, CEO of The Big Table Group, said: “The inaugural Dream Makers Ball showed the incredible impact that can be achieved when businesses, supporters and communities come together behind a great cause. Raising £70,000 on the night was a fantastic achievement, and we’re delighted to be supporting the event once again in 2026.
“Every ticket sold and every pound raised will help Dreams Come True continue its vital work supporting children and families who face extraordinary challenges, and we’re proud to play our part in making more dreams come true.”
Dreams Come True And The Children It Supports
Dreams Come True is the UK’s only wish-granting charity dedicated exclusively to supporting children with serious illnesses, disabilities or life-limiting conditions who are also living in the highest areas of deprivation.
That focus gives the charity a particularly clear purpose. It is not simply about creating one memorable day, although that can be powerful enough. It is about recognising children and families for whom joy, relief and shared experience can be in painfully short supply.
A dream fulfilled can give a family something to look forward to, something to talk about afterwards and, in some cases, something bright enough to cut through a very dark stretch of road.
Dream Makers Ball 2026 Tickets
Tickets for The Big Table Group’s Dream Makers Ball 2026 are now on sale, with demand expected to be high after the success of last year’s inaugural event.
The event takes place on 16 September 2026 at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London.
Tickets are available at: https://thebigtablecharitydinner.co.uk/
With Sally Phillips hosting, Will Bayley MBE speaking and Dreams Come True at the centre of the evening, the 2026 Dream Makers Ball has the bones of a properly memorable London charity night: glamour with a job to do, laughter with a lump in the throat, and a room full of people being asked to make their good fortune useful.
