Look To The Stars News: Jo Whiley

British Rockers To Go Acoustic For Mencap

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 13:00:00 -0000

Kasabian, Stereophonics, Keane, and Razorlight have all signed up to perform at this year’s Mencap Little Noise Sessions which take place across eleven days in November.

The acoustic shows will take place at Islington’s Union Chapel to raise money for the charity, which works with people who suffer from learning disabilities.

“We are really looking forward to playing the show for the Little Noise Sessions on behalf of Mencap,“ said Kelly Jones from the Stereophonics. “To be able to do an acoustic show in such an intimate venue and be able to support such a worthy cause will be a really special thing to do and something we rarely get the chance to do. It will be beautiful.”

Of course, there is always the chance of a big surprise at the Mencap Little Noise concerts. Last year, Bono and The Edge from U2 took to the stage unannounced and played four acoustic songs.

DJ Jo Whiley will once again host the event, and tickets are available from the Mencap Music website.

Celebrities' Big Wardrobes Emptied For Charity

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 06:52:58 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Shoppers will have the chance to rummage through the wardrobes of some of Britain’s biggest celebrities next month when a new online auction hits the web.

Stars such as the Kaiser Chiefs, Peaches Geldof, Paul Weller, Jodie Kidd, Jo Whiley, Jodie Marsh, and Russell Brand are cleaning out their wardrobes in the name of charity, giving visitors of www.bigwardrobe.com the chance to own some celebrity threads. The big-hearted celebrities have chosen a range of charities that the proceeds of the auction, which launches on May 1, will go to – including Refuge, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, and Marie Curie Cancer Care to name just a few.

Online shoppers can browse through dresses, jeans, and tops donated by Peaches Geldof, and the pink top worn by Jodie Marsh on her eviction from Celebrity Big Brother. The Kaiser Chiefs have donated a funky brown vintage suit and black bowler hat, as well as a signed Kaiser Chiefs shirt and a couple of signed football shirts, while Russell Brand has donated a signed pair of his famous skinny jeans.

The celebrity auction follows the sale of a shirt donated by Kate Moss over at eBay. The T-Shirt, which was signed by the supermodel, raised almost $400 for the Princess Alice Hospice, a facility for cancer patients in Esher, England.

The hospice needs $13 million a year to provide care for people across south-west London and Surrey, of which three-quarters is raised through donations and fundraising. Over $1,600 was raised overall from items sold in the auction, which included a ring from children’s novelist Dame Jacqueline Wilson and a t-shirt signed by Jayne Torvill, Christopher Dean, Suzanne Shaw, and fellow Dancing on Ice finalists.

U2 Plays Surprise Charity Gig

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 20:00:52 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Over 250 people were glad they braved the freezing London weather last week to attend one of the Mencap Little Noise Sessions charity concerts. Those who traipsed through the drizzle on Friday, November 23, were treated to a once-in-a-lifetime show when two members of U2 played unannounced as a warm up act at the gig.

Bono and The Edge played a set of four songs when they surprised concert-goers at the Union Chapel in North London, including “Stay (Faraway So Close)”, “Desire”, “Angel of Harlem”, and “Wave of Sorrow”, a song originally written in 1987 for the Joshua Tree album, but never released or played live before.

“Don’t tell Larry (Mullen Jr) and Adam (Clayton) we’ve done this,” joked Bono, referring to his absent band mates.

Rumors had reverberated around the music industry for a week that some special guests would appear at the gig, which also featured Scottish group Biffy Clyro. But no one in the audience had any idea who it would be until the duo walked on stage.

“They were actually really nervous beforehand,” said event host and BBC Radio 1 DJ Jo Whiley. “After they came off stage, Bono asked me if they’d been OK, and they were also wondering whether the ‘new’ song had gone down well.”

The Mencap Little Noise Sessions are a series of concerts being held at the Union Chapel on 8 consecutive nights from November 20-27. Other artists to be involved in the acoustic gigs include Will Young, Snow Patrol, and Keane, and proceeds from the shows will go to help Mencap with running arts programs to help people with learning disabilities grow in confidence and ability.

Mencap, a non-profit organization founded in 1946, works with adults and children affected by learning disabilities, and fights to end discrimination and provide a wide range of services. Over 1.5 million people in the UK suffer from learning disabilities, which can cause difficulties in communication and doing everyday things. However, Mencap maintains that a learning disability will not prevent someone from achieving their dreams if they are given the right support.

More information on how to donate to Mencap or attend one of the remaining Little Noise Sessions can be found at www.mencap.org.uk.

Look To The Stars News: Jo Whiley

British Rockers To Go Acoustic For Mencap

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