Gradian Celebrates Record-Breaking Success at The White Hat Ball 2026

Gradian was delighted to attend The White Hat Ball 2026 at The Royal Lancaster Hotel in London last Friday evening, where the cybersecurity community came together for an unforgettable night of generosity and impact.

The event surpassed all previous achievements, raising an extraordinary £556,414 (and counting) for Childline and the NSPCC. This remarkable total represented an increase of over £145,000 from last year's already impressive figure and will fund the vital Childline service for 13 days, ensuring young people can access confidential support when they need it most.

Hosted by Johnny Vaughn, the evening brought together over 700 cybersecurity professionals united by a common purpose: protecting vulnerable children and young people across the UK. The Royal Lancaster Hotel once again provided the perfect setting for this prestigious event, featuring a sumptuous three-course dinner, live entertainment, and moving testimonials about the life-changing work of Childline and the NSPCC.

Gradian has been a proud supporter of the White Hat Ball since 2008, and this year was, once again, an official sponsor of the event. To celebrate Gradian's 25th birthday, every member of the ball received a cupcake to acknowledge the occassion, with a QR code asking people to donate to their fundraising efforts.

"As this is our 25th year, we wanted to celebrate in a meaningful way. We gave this considerable thought and agreed that rather than making this about ourselves we would mark a quarter of a century in business by making it about others." said Damian Acklam, Gradian's CEO. "Over the last 12 months the team has taken part in all sorts of fundraising initiatives from fire walking (literally!) to archery competitions and so were delighted to have surpassed our goal of £25,000. This was a real team effort and a special mention must go to everyone that has supported us in raising vital funds for an incredible cause.'

Gradian also donated two exceptional items to the silent auction: an Athens 2004 GB Olympic Sailing Team shirt—a unique original garment signed by all members of Britain's most successful Olympic Sailing Team—as well as an authentic English Roses Grand Slam signed rugby shirt from the entire 23/24 Grand Slam winning squad.

The impact of Friday's event will be felt by countless young people reaching out for help, hope, and support. The White Hat Ball once again demonstrated the cybersecurity community's extraordinary influence when united by a shared mission: protecting the next generation and ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive.

Thank you to everyone who took part this year, whether through donations, fundraising or liking and sharing to raise awareness. Here's to 2027 and breaking the record again next year!