There’s a lot you can do with one evening. You can connect, reflect and celebrate. And sometimes, you can help change lives.
That was the focus at this year’s Leeds Digital Ball. More than 550 people from across the city’s digital and tech community came together with one shared aim: to help close the digital divide. The night raised £75,000 to support people across Leeds with access, skills and confidence to thrive in a digital world.
What is the Leeds Digital Ball?
Now in its fourth year, the Leeds Digital Ball has become a flagship event for the city’s tech and digital sector. Since 2021, it has raised over £300,000 to support local organisations that are tackling digital exclusion.
Each year the Ball brings together connection and purpose. Guests enjoy live music, fundraising games, a charity auction and a three-course meal. But more importantly, the event exists to fund real lasting change. All money raised is directed to the Leeds Community Foundation, which distributes it through the Leeds Digital Inclusion Fund to grassroots organisations making a difference.
Why digital inclusion matters
Digital inclusion isn’t just about owning a device. It’s about being able to participate fully in everyday life.
That means applying for work, managing your finances, accessing healthcare, staying connected to loved ones or simply feeling confident and informed. Without digital access and support, those things become harder, and the risk of isolation and inequality grows.
In Leeds, the Digital Inclusion Fund is helping to change that. The organisations it supports are building digital confidence, opening up access and creating more opportunity for people across the city. So far, that support has helped:
- 573 people increase their income
- 494 reduce their debt
- 456 better heat their homes
- 568 improve their wellbeing
- 572 strengthen their social networks
But this is part of a bigger picture
Digital inclusion is more than just access to devices or broadband. It unlocks opportunity, dignity and a stronger sense of belonging.
When someone can confidently go online, they can apply for jobs, manage money, access health advice and stay connected with family and friends. Studies in the UK show that including people digitally leads to significant, lasting impact:
- Adults over 50 who use the internet report 7% higher life satisfaction
- Over 4 in 10 households with children (45%) were found to be below the Minimum Digital Living Standard, lacking access to devices, skills, data or broadband
- 8.5 million people in the UK lack basic digital skills, limiting access to education, healthcare, financial services and civic participation
People who are digitally excluded face barriers to employment, education, healthcare and financial support. They are more likely to be isolated and less likely to benefit from basic public services. It is estimated that the UK economy loses up to £63 billion a year due to this skills gap.
This is why the Leeds Digital Ball matters. It puts real resources into the hands of organisations that are closing these gaps.
Hippo’s continued support and Liz’s founding role
Hippo returned this year as a Platinum Sponsor, standing alongside many others working to create a more digitally inclusive Leeds.
Our connection to the event goes beyond sponsorship. Liz Whitefield, Hippo’s Co-founder and Executive Director, has this year also joinedthe Leeds Digital Ball as co-Chair. Her commitment to digital inclusion and community impact has been at the heart of this initiative from the very beginning.
Liz believes that access to digital tools, skills and services is not a luxury. It is a basic utility. And she brings that belief into everything we do at Hippo. Whether we are designing inclusive services or supporting events like this one, our aim is the same: making the digital world work better for everyone.
What’s next for the fund?
The £75,000 raised this year will help community organisations continue their work. It will support people who are applying for jobs, learning to use technology for the first time, accessing essential services or simply connecting with others.
This year’s Ball also marked a moment of looking ahead. As digital life moves faster, we need to make sure no one is excluded from the progress being made. The fund is about resilience, opportunity and inclusion.
Thank you to everyone who made it happen
Thank you to the organisers, committee, sponsors and everyone who took part on the night.
Events like this don’t happen without a lot of work behind the scenes. And they don’t have impact without the generosity of the people in the room.
The Ball is a great example of what’s possible when people across our sector come together to support something bigger than themselves. We’re proud to have been involved again this year.