Look To The Stars News: David Jason

Stars Pushing the Envelope for Literacy

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:25:00 -0000

Today is the final day to bid on celebrity-designed, one-of-a-kind envelopes while helping to transform lives through literacy.

Over 100 celebrities, including Zoë Wanamaker, Sir Ian McKellen, Sadie Frost, Amir Khan and Dame Shirley Bassey have decorated envelopes for the Pushing the Envelope campaign in association with Pitney Bowes and the National Literacy Trust.

Dame Helen Mirren’s envelope

Over the last six years, the campaign has raised £65,000 ($107,000) to support literacy programs across the UK, helping people with poor reading and writing skills gain confidence and a chance for better employment and opportunities.

Some of the other celebrities taking part this year include Dame Helen Mirren, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Fearne Cotton, Samantha Fox and Frederick Forsyth.

To view the all of the designs, visit the Pushing the Envelope website. The auction is being held on eBay.co.uk.

Celebrity Paw Prints A Big Winner For Cat Charity

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

The UK’s largest feline welfare charity, Cats Protection, has been overwhelmed by the success of this year’s Celebrity Paws auction, which has raised a staggering £2,473.58 for unwanted cats and kittens in the UK.

This year’s most popular ‘paw prints’ were from singer Alison Goldfrapp, which was sold for £502.00, musical legend Phil Collins, which was sold for £430.00 and Top Gear presenter James May, which was sold for £271.00.

‘Paw prints’ from Peckham pals Sir David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst, John Challis and Roger Lloyd Pack, who played Del Boy, Rodney, Boycie and Trigger in the popular sitcom Only Fools and Horses managed to raise £262.00 towards the auction.

When asked why he had chosen to support the charity, actor John Challis said: “I love cats and I have done a lot of work for charities with a similar cause. We actually inherited some feral cats on the farm and we decided to take care of them. They were breeding at the time, so we took them to the vets and found homes for their kittens. We weren’t really cat people before that, but I think that cats have a way of finding you. We have one male cat and one female- they both follow us around all of the time”.

Now in its third year, Cats Protection’s Celebrity Paws auction raises much needed funds for the charity, which helps over 193,000 cats and kittens every year. It is a simple and easy way for celebrities to show their support of the work that the charity does. Celebrities were asked to draw around their hand, decorate it in their own unique way, sign it and send it back to Cats Protection.

The money raised from this year’s auction will go towards building a state-of-the-art homing centre in Ferndown, Bournemouth. The Homing Centre will work alongside the charity’s volunteer-run branches in the area. With 24 homing pens and an on-site retail area for essentials, Ferndown will only offer cats which are ready to go to a new home – cutting out lengthy waiting times for cat owners to take their new pet home. It is hoped the Homing Centre will be open for early 2010.

Kate Bunting, the charity’s PR Manager, said: “We have had an amazing response to Celebrity Paws this year and we are very grateful to our celebrity supporters for contributing their own special works of art. The lucky winners of the ‘paws’ have got a truly one-of-a-kind item, which I hope they will treasure. The money raised from the auction will certainly support the ongoing work that we do and the exciting plans that we have in the pipeline for 2010.”

Other celebrities who took part in the auction included Chrissie Hynde and Tony Robinson.

For more information on the Ferndown Homing Centre Appeal, click here.

Chrissie Hynde And Phil Collins Lead Celebrity Paws Charity Auction

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Rock icon Chrissie Hynde, along with many other stars, is showing her support for unwanted moggies by donating her ‘paw’ print to the UK’s leading feline welfare charity Cats Protection.

Chrissie Hynde, who is best known as front-woman for The Pretenders, is among a long list of celebrities taking part in this year’s Celebrity Paws auction, which will run from 1 October to 10 October. Other supporters include musical legend Phil Collins, Alexei Sayle, Sir David Jason, Sir Jimmy Savile, Richard Wilson, Pam Ferris, John Challis, Tony Robinson, Tony Christie, Nicholas Lyndhurst, Bruce Forsyth CBE, Timmy Mallett, James May, Felicity Kendal, Su Pollard, Danny John-Jules, Sean Hughes, Kim Woodburn, Alison Goldfrapp and Roger Lloyd Pack.

Now in its third year, Cats Protection’s Celebrity Paws raises much needed funds for the charity, which helps around 157,000 cats and kittens every year. Celebrities were asked to draw around their hand, sign it, and style it in their own unique way. The drawings are then auctioned on eBay. Past auctions have raised an excess of £3,000 for the charity.

Kate Bunting, the charity’s PR Manager, said: “We have had an amazing response to Celebrity Paws this year and we are very grateful to our celebrity supporters for contributing their own special works of art. The paw prints are all completely authentic so I hope people will get bidding – it’s a real chance to get your hands on a one-of-kind item whilst supporting the work of the charity.”

Money raised from this year’s auction will go towards building a new Homing Centre in Ferndown, Dorset, which will make it simpler and easier for the public to adopt cats. The new centre will revolutionise the way unwanted cats are rehomed in the UK and support the work of the volunteer-run branches in the region.

Founded as the Cats Protection League in 1927, the charity adopted the name Cats Protection in 1998. Cats Protection is the UK’s leading cat welfare charity and helps 193,000 cats and kittens each year through a national network of 253 volunteer-run branches and 29 adoption centres.

For the chance to get your paws on these fantastic works of art, and to find out who else has donated their one-off print to Cats Protection, please visit www.cats.org.uk/celebritypaws

For more information about the auction, or to make a donation to help the charity continue its cat welfare work, please call Cats Protection’s national Helpline on 03000 12 12 12

The Stars Come Out For Tilly

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A host of stars were out in the weekend to support a young British girl who contracted Meningococcal Septicaemia as a baby and lost her hands as a result.

Last year, Look To The Stars brought you the story of Tilly Lockey, who contracted a deadly form of flesh-eating meningitis for which there is no vaccination. It was every mother’s nightmare, and for four weeks Tilly fought back in intensive care. After ten blood transfusions later she was finally pronounced out of danger. Unfortunately her hands and toes were already dead, and had to be removed.

Tilly recently received her first set of prosthetic hands. According to her parents, “these need to be replaced as she grows, consultants have told us that they will need to be changed a minimum of once every year if not twice up until she is 18 years old! We received the invoice for the hands and they are costing £23,464.00 a pair. Therefore if we need to have a target of raising approx £800,000.00 to cover the costs up until Tilly is 18 years old.”

A star-studded event at Gateshead’s Hilton Hotel in the UK on September 5 saw over 100 celebrity hand prints auctioned to raise money for three-year-old Tilly. British stars such as fundraising patron Denise Welch, Duncan Bannatyne, Emmerdale’s Charlie Hardwick and Vicky Hawkins, and Waterloo Road’s Chris Greere turned out for the event, which featured hand prints from stars such as JK Rowling, Linford Christie, David Jason, Cliff Richard, David Prowse, Alan Shearer, Daniel Craig, Girls Aloud, the late Wendy Richard, cast members from Coronation Street, Bill Bailey, Geri Halliwell, Katherine Jenkins, Katie Melua, Jonathan Ross, Rolf Harris, Lorraine Kelly, the late Bobby Robson and many more.

Guests to the event were treated to an amazing fun-filled night for the very special little girl. Upon entering the venue, guests were able to have their photos taken with Jaws from the James Bond films and Bond’s very own Aston Martin. After being greeted by characters from Star Wars, they were then treated to a Champagne Reception, three course dinner and performances from Paul Lytton, Michael Donoghue and Richard Fleeshman.

There was also an amazing raffle where guests had the chance to win amazing prizes such as long haul flights, cosmetic treatments and much more.

To find out more about Tilly, visit her website.

Celebrity Handprints To Be Auctioned For Tilly

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Last year, Look To The Stars brought you the story of Tilly Lockey, a young girl who contracted Meningococcal Septicaemia as a baby and lost her hands as a result.

A number of stars, such as JK Rowling, Linford Christie, David Jason, Cliff Richard, David Prowse and Alan Shearer showed their support for Tilly’s cause by donating handprints and casts for a charity auction to give her new hands. Look To The Stars is now happy to announce that the 2009 Celebrity Handprint Auction will take place on September 5 at the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead Hotel in the UK.

The gala evening will feature entertainment from Paul Lytton, Michael Donoghue and Richard Fleeshman, as well as a Champagne Reception and 3 course dinner.

Other handprints up for auction on the night include Daniel Craig, Girls Aloud, the late Wendy Richard, cast members from Coronation Street, Bill Bailey, Geri Halliwell, Katherine Jenkins, Katie Melua, Jonathan Ross, Rolf Harris, Lorraine Kelly, Bobby Robson and many more.

To purchase tickets to the event, view the handprints, or find out more about Tilly’s cause, visit the official website.

Young Girl Calls Celebrities For A Hand

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 12:37:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Tilly Lockey is only two years old, but she is hoping for a little magic. At the moment, this bright-eyed toddler is eager and happy, but she lacks the ability to do the things that other two year olds do. She can’t reach out for her toys. She doesn’t know what it is like to clutch a crayon and draw a picture. She can’t even hold her mother’s hand.

You see, Tilly Lockey has no hands of her own. But she wants some. And with a little help, she might just get some.

When Tilly was still a baby, she contracted Meningococcal Septicaemia, a deadly form of flesh-eating meningitis for which there is no vaccination. It was every mother’s nightmare – to see her baby slowly turn purple, then black, tubes coming out of every part of her tiny body, helpless and beaten by a relentless disease. For four weeks Tilly fought back in intensive care, and after ten blood transfusions later she was finally pronounced out of danger. Unfortunately her hands and toes were already dead, and had to be removed.

But this is where the magic comes in. Tilly’s parents, Adam and Sarah, have launched a campaign to give their daughter a hand – two hands, in fact. And they are appealing to the stars for help.

The initiative involves celebrities making prints of their hands – or perhaps just drawing around them – and then customizing them in a way that defines their character. Harry Potter creator JK Rowling heads the field, with drawings of wizards adorning her fingers. Sir Cliff Richard has donated a plain green handprint to represent his clean image, and Only Fools And Horses actor Sir David Jason has decorated his print with pictures from the long-running BBC comedy series. The pictures will then be auctioned in October.

Other celebrities, such as retired English footballer Alan Shearer, pop duo Erasure, David Prowse – who played Darth Vader in the Star Wars movies – and several members of Manchester United have also made clay casts of their hands for the initiative.

Tilly has so far received over 40 handprints and casts for the auction, including those from singer Katie Melua, Rolf Harris, Patrick Stewart, Linford Christie, Wendy Richard, The Weakest Link’s Anne Robinson, and several English cricket players. But in order for her to get the prosthetic hands she so desperately wants, she needs more. If anyone can help Tilly, the campaign can be reached via enquires@tillylockey.co.uk. More information on Tilly’s story and the handprint auction can be found at www.givetillyahand.co.uk.

Look To The Stars News: David Jason

Stars Pushing the Envelope for Literacy

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