Glittering charity ball raises more than £22K to support youth football coaching  

A dazzling night of dance and fundraising has raised more than £22K to help vulnerable and disadvantaged youngsters access academy level football training.  

The Pro Level Vision Glitter Ball, held on Saturday, March 22, at the Doubletree by Hilton on Festival Park, saw figures from the worlds of sport, broadcasting and business take to the dance floor in a Strictly-style competition in support of the cause.  

Competing at the sold-out event were Port Vale defender Nathan Smith, Port Vale women’s captain Meg Baldwin, Phil Bowers, Jonty Sargeant and local businessman Nick Holland, each paired with professional dancers from Defy Gravity Studios in Tunstall.  

After weeks of training, Nathan Smith and his professional dance partner Lauren Taylor were crowned the winners, wowing the audience and judges with their performance to Jennifer Lopez’s Let’s Get Loud.  

The funds raised – a total of £22,265 – will support Pro Level Vision’s mission to make academy standard football coaching accessible to all, providing funded places for children and young people from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire and Cheshire who would not otherwise have the opportunity to train.  

Founded by Nathan Smith and former Port Vale captain Tom Conlon, who now plays for Oldham Athletic, Pro Level Vision is also working in partnership with Caudwell Children to run three pan-disability football teams.  

Pro Level Vision is the charity arm of Pro Level Academy, which was set up by Tom and Nathan in 2021 and holds sessions at Keele University and in Stone. The first Pro Level Vision ball, held last year, raised £20,000.  

Tom said: “Raising more than £22,000 - and beating last year’s total – is an incredible achievement, and we are so grateful to everyone who supported the event, including our headline sponsors Smart Electrical Installations and TG Golf. This will make a huge difference in helping us provide high-quality coaching to even more children.”  

Nathan added: “Taking part in the competition was a brilliant experience, and winning was a fantastic bonus. But the most important thing is the amount we’ve raised to give more young people the chance to play and develop through football.”