Lucy Alexander, of BBC1 Daytime’s Homes Under the Hammer fame will attend the Mayor of Islington’s Charity Dinner for Ronald McDonald House Charities UK.

The TV presenter and mum-of-two from Surrey, will be a special guest at the event, which is taking place at Islington Town Hall next month. Lucy was inspired to support the Charity, which provides free ‘home away from home’ accommodation for families with a child in hospital, after her own family’s experience, 13 years ago.

Lucy said: “In 2009, our amazing daughter Kitty suddenly became very unwell and was rushed to hospital, where she stayed for several weeks. She was just seven at the time. Having experienced our own child being seriously unwell and needing such lengthy hospital treatment, we’re all too aware of how vital this charity’s service is. To have a warm, safe place to stay, where you can get some much-needed rest and prepare yourselves for a long day on the ward, is just so important. When Kitty was in hospital, we spoke to many parents who were lucky enough to have been given a room at a Ronald McDonald House and they all said the same thing – that they didn’t know what they would have done without it.”

Lucy will deliver a speech to around 80 guests, including families who’ve stayed at a Ronald McDonald House, and a draw raffle, which organisers hope will raise vital funds for the East Finchley-based Charity.

The Dinner, at 7pm on Thursday 27 April 2023, will celebrate the end of a year-long partnership between Her Worship the Mayor of Islington, Cllr Marian Spall, and Ronald McDonald House Charities UK, after the mayor chose the Charity as one of her charities of the year. Lucy, 53, officially opened Ronald McDonald House Camberwell in July 2013. The 24-bedroom House accommodates parents and siblings of sick children being treated at nearby King’s College Hospital.

She added: “Having supported the Charity for a long time now, I’m excited to attend this Celebration Dinner. Being far from home, you want home comforts, so I totally understand what it means to have access to a Ronald McDonald House. The work the Charity does to support families with critically ill children, who often have to travel miles to receive specialist care, is incredible. I’m looking forward to being a part of this special event.”

The Mayor of Islington chose Ronald McDonald House Charities UK as one of her charities of the year, after being inspired by Ronald McDonald House Moorfields, based in the Borough of Islington.

Her Worship the Mayor of Islington, Cllr Marian Spall, said “I am so pleased that Lucy will be attending this event and look forward to welcoming her and many other guests on the evening. I have visited the Ronald McDonald House Moorfields on several occasions and have seen the impact the House has for families. It will be a wonderful evening of celebration and I encourage people to buy a ticket, to support this amazing charity.”

Ronald McDonald House Charities UK is an independent Charity, which operates 14 Houses across England, Wales, and Scotland, providing free ‘home away from home’ accommodation. The Houses keep families together, close to their children in hospital. They provide a place to sleep, cook and retain some sense of normal life; a lifeline for families at a very stressful time, especially when they are far from home. A Ronald McDonald House saves each family an average of £1,240 in out-of-pocket accommodation expenses.

Natasha Brame, Community Fundraiser for London said: “We are truly grateful to both Madam Mayor and Lucy Alexander for supporting our charity. It’s been a privilege to be one of the Mayor of Islington’s charities of the year and we are excited to celebrate this partnership with a special evening, which will include a fork buffet, drinks, and live entertainment. The money raised through this partnership will enable us to continue providing accommodation to families at an incredibly difficult time in their lives.”

The Ronald McDonald House at Moorfields Eye Hospital is a unique House as it is located at a specialist hospital, which only treats patients with ophthalmic conditions. It is the only Ronald McDonald House in the UK where accommodation is pre-booked. This is because the hospital largely carries out elective surgery. The House has specialist equipment for the blind and visually impaired and provides an array of creature comforts for families, who come from all over the UK and the rest of the world.