The Hangar at Milsoms Kesgrave Hall was transformed into the Downton Abbey Ballroom on Saturday, as 200 guests commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Armistice at a charity ball raising funds for the ABF, The Soldiers’ Charity.

Ipswich Star: A charity auction at the Armistice Hall on Saturday helped raise £27,000 for charity. This replica Royal Enfield motorcycl, the Flying Flea, was sold for £10,000 in the auction. Picture: PAUL CUDMOREA charity auction at the Armistice Hall on Saturday helped raise £27,000 for charity. This replica Royal Enfield motorcycl, the Flying Flea, was sold for £10,000 in the auction. Picture: PAUL CUDMORE (Image: Archant)

The evening started with a Champagne reception before guests went through into The Hangar which has been dressed for the occasion and captured the spirit of the time.

Paul Milsom, managing director of Milsom Hotels, welcomed guests to Kesgrave Hall and asked for a two minute silence at the start of the evening. During dinner, guests were entertained by the acapella group The Testostertones and the Downton Abbey Dancers, before a charity auction which included lots such as dinner with Graham Gooch and Michael J Fitch in The Mess at Kesgrave Hall, and a morning’s digger driving with the Hills Group.

However, the star of the auction show was the replica of the Royal Enfield Pegasus 500 motorbike the Flying Flea, which made £10,000 to give an amazing boost to the fundraising.

After the excitement of the auction, guests took to the dancefloor with entertainment from the Band of the Army Air Corps and Dreamwave Events.

Paul Milsom said: “We promised everyone a night to remember and we certainly delivered it, from the First World War bi-plane from Stow Maries airfield to the magnificent entertainment from The Testostertones, the Downton Abbey Dancers and the band of the Army Air Corps and the amazing transformation of The Hangar by Dreamwave Events.

“Our aim was to match the £20,000 we raised in 2015 for the VE Party, but to smash this to £27,000 was amazing and we thank all our guests for giving so generously and for partying long into the night.”