Tales from the Crypt raises a record £64,000

Some of the brightest and best in Yorkshire’s corporate community strutted on stage in front of a friendly audience to raise a record £64,000 for charities St George’s Crypt and LionHeart at Crypt Factor 2015.

The event saw 10 budding singers and groups leave their day jobs behind as they stepped out on stage to entertain an audience of 700 property professionals at Elland Road in Leeds.

Lakeisha King, a real estate paralegal at Addleshaw Goddard, won the competition along with colleagues and backing dancers Sean Meehan and Alice Carr. They provided a stunning, and apparently, highly individualistic performance of Tina Turner’s Proud Mary.

The group known as LaKeisha and the Keishettes wowed the judging panel of Jonathan Morgan from Morgans, Paula Dillon from Bond Dickinson and Richard Lewis from Town Centre Securities, before winning an audience vote.

Ms King said: “This was the first Crypt Factor that Alice, Sean and myself had been to so we were completely taken aback by the size of the event and how many people were in the audience, but it was all so exciting that we didn’t have chance to feel nervous. The whole experience was amazing and to win the event, as well as the response we’ve had since, is unbelievable.”

Mr Lewis said: “Crypt Factor is one of the region’s biggest, best and most successful charity events and it’s growing and improving each year.

“The level of support we receive from the region’s property community is heartening. Lakeisha and her dancers put on a superb performance and had obviously put a lot of thought into their act, as well as plenty of rehearsal time, which certainly paid off because they were definitely worthy winners.

“We’re already planning next year’s Crypt Factor, which will be the event’s 10th anniversary, and we have a number of exciting new developments planned so it promises to be a very special year.”

The event’s headline sponsors included Bond Dickinson, Bruntwood, Morgans City Living and Town Centre Securities, with The Yorkshire Post acting as the event’s media partner.

The First Direct Arena, Radisson Blu Hotel and Gaucho also donated a unique Dynamo auction prize, which sold for £2,500. Other supporters include Saville Audio Visual, Tiger Tiger’s Lucky Voice, Candid PR and Vector Photography.

This year’s event takes the total raised by Crypt Factor over the last nine years to more than £420,000 for the two charities.