People dressed to the nines and armed with bulging wallets found out how they could make the lives of five different groups of people easier at a charity’s fundraising gala.

Abbots Langley charity DEMAND, which makes bespoke equipment for people with disabilities, invited people to Watford Football Club last Friday to view a series of short films, which highlighted five problems the charity have been tasked to solve.

One is creating inclusive sports for all at schools and clubs by providing kit which allows disabled students and able-bodied students to take part in the same sport.

Another is building a removable hoist in Waterways Experiences’ canal boats to allow people with disabilities to use facilities on the boat such as the toilet more easily.

Two other projects involve making bespoke safety gates for families who have children with learning difficulties and adapted walkers for people who struggle to use a shop bought one.

The final project looks to benefit students at The Collett School in Hemel Hempstead for children with learning disabilities.

Teacher Anu Grey has been working with DEMAND to find a solution that lets the school’s students take time out to de-stress and learn to self-regulate their emotions.

With a last minute donation from Warner Brothers, the charity now has the funds to make five sensory rocking chairs to help them.

Guests pledged their support for all five projects and more than £24,000 was raised on the night.

Denise Gillies, fundraising manager at DEMAND, helped provide the entertainment for the night with her band Queen Dee and the Hornets.

She said: "These donations are more generous than we could have hoped for. What a wonderful way to celebrate our 35th year helping people with disabilities by knowing we can help at least 300 more local people."

The charity’s next big event will be hosted by Mike Cole from Imagine Group, who will introduce two incredible guests at a motivational speaking event called Oceans Seven at Watford Palace Theatre on October 27.

Bob Patmore, one of the UK’s leading businessmen, will give a talk on his achievements alongside Adam Walker, who is one of just six people in the world to complete the Oceans 7 Swim Challenge.

Too book tickets, visit watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk/page/oceans-seven.