Look To The Stars News: Charley Boorman

Ewan McGregor's Bike Raises Cash For UNICEF

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Earlier this month, actor Ewan McGregor auctioned off his favorite motorcycle to raise money for UNICEF.

Look To The Stars can now reveal that the bike was sold for US$44,000 – with the money to go to the organization’s work helping children around the world cope with war, famine, poverty, and natural disasters.

“Unicef would like to thank Ewan McGregor for auctioning his much-loved motorbike, which has raised the sizeable sum of £22,100 for our work with children globally,” said UNICEF’s Fiona Hesselden. “This money will support Unicef’s Children’s Emergency Fund, helping children such as those in Zimbabwe or the Democratic Republic of Congo who so urgently need our help at this time.”

McGregor bought the rare white Moto Guzzi California Vintage cycle directly from the factory in Italy and rode it back to London. He then used it regularly and it became one of his most treasured possessions.

Earlier this year, McGregor joined Charley Boorman in a marathon motorcycle ride in Africa. The pair visited charity projects around the continent and raised over $621,000 at a charity dinner when they returned.

Ewan McGregor Auctions Motorcycle For UNICEF

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Scottish actor Ewan McGregor is set to auction one of his favorite motorcycles for UNICEF.

McGregor – a UNICEF Ambassador since 2004 – has donated his white Moto Guzzi California Vintage cycle to the charity to raise money for projects helping children around the world. The money raised from this auction will go to their Children’s Emergency Fund, which enables the organization to launch a response for children the moment a disaster strikes. Whether it is a flood, conflict or earthquake, UNICEF provides life-saving supplies such as health kits, food and shelter to children and families in need.

“It’s the first of its kind in this color and one of my favorite bikes,” said the 37-year-old actor. “I collected this bike from the Moto Guzzi factory in Italy and rode it back to London. I’ve loved riding it ever since and I know that you will too. As a UNICEF Ambassador, I’ve been greatly privileged to visit a number of incredibly inspiring UNICEF projects and see the impact of its work on children and their families. You have the ability to help ensure that UNICEF continues its vital work protecting children when disasters occur. On behalf of UNICEF, thank you for your support.”

To view the bike or make a bid on this once-in-a-lifetime item, visit McGregor’s eBay site.

It's A Long Way Down For Charity

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 11:09:46 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

What was quite possibly the party of the year was held in London on November 8, in celebration of the adventure of a lifetime.

The Long Way Down charity dinner and auction was held to mark the successful completion of Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman’s 15,000 mile motorcycle ride from the most northern point in Scotland to the most southern point of South Africa, an adventure that is now the subject of a television series being shown on BBC2 on Sunday nights, and an action-packed book. A host of celebrities, including Elle Macpherson, James Nesbitt, and Scottish singer Sharleen Spiteri dusted off their best clothes for the event, which included performances by The Magic Numbers and Beth Orton.

The evening raised over $621,000 for the Long Way Down team’s charity partners, including Riders For Health, an organization that has worked for over 15 years to develop delivery systems for healthcare in Africa, as well as CHAS, a Scottish charity committed to providing children’s hospice services, and UNICEF.

“I’ve been involved with CHAS for many years,” said McGregor during the auction event. “It’s the most extraordinary place. 20% of the money raised tonight will go to CHAS, to help the children. They will be very grateful, as will I.”

The top selling item of the evening was a replica of the BMW R1200 motorcycle the pair rode during their journey. The bike, which was painted half in McGregor’s color scheme and half in Boorman’s, sold for an unbelievable $103,000. This was followed by one of the Nissan Nivara support vehicles that completed the trip, which was snapped up for $87,000. Other items included an African holiday for four people which reached $27,000, and a one-of-a-kind Gary Hutchins Edbanger guitar, sold for $18,000. In fact, the guitar proved to be so popular that the company that produced it agreed to make two more, both of which reached the same price.

Several celebrities also donated their own items to the auction, including Jay Kay from British pop group Jamiroquai, whose mountain bike fetched $12,000, slightly more than his personal hovercraft, which reached $10,000. Actor Simon Pegg sold the Nike shoes he wore in his latest movie, “Run Fat Boy Run”, for $3000.

The Long Way Down team is committed to raising as much money as possible for children affected by HIV, poverty, and conflict in Africa, and visited several sites in Libya, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Rwanda where UNICEF works during the adventure. Both McGregor and Boorman hope that the auction will go a long way in achieving that goal.

“We have started a partnership with UNICEF that will continue for a long long time,” said McGregor, who paid $20,000 for six fashion dresses for his wife during the auction. “The people that we met who work for UNICEF, and the children they help, really touched us to our core. I have often thought that where I would say ‘I don’t know what we can do’, UNICEF says ’Here’s what we can do’.”

More information on the epic journey can be found at www.longwaydown.com.

McGregor Visits Ethiopian Charity Project

Thu, 05 Jul 2007 20:04:00 -0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Scots actor Ewan McGregor and his actor pal Charley Boorman have taken time out of their epic motorcycle journey to visit a United Nation Children’s Fund charity project in Ethiopia.
The pair are travelling the length of the planet on motorbikes, starting at John O’Groats in Scotland and ending at Cape Town, South Africa.

Last Friday, McGregor and Boorman parked their bikes to meet the residents of Zalambasa, where many people have lost limbs through dangerous landmine explosions.

McGregor says, ’’We’re here in Zalambasa and we’ve been looking at landmine issues today with UNICEF. It’s been just extraordinary to meet kids who’ve lost legs and had horrible accidents with landmines, and it’s been incredible. The kids are just great.

“[”UNICEF":http://www.looktothestars.org/charity/1-unicef] are doing amazing things here. They’re helping these groups of kids to be mine aware, and using drama and workshops to teach children in all of the schools in the area to be aware of mines and what to do if they find one, and if somebody’s hurt, not to rush in – all of the essential things that kids need to know."

McGregor Begins Charity Motorcycle Adventure

Thu, 31 May 2007 09:51:00 -0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Actor Ewan McGregor and friend Charley Boorman have begun a second epic motorcycle journey, this time in support of charity.

In 2004 the pair travelled from Scotland to New York via Europe and Asia in a journey dubbed ‘Long Way Round’, and this new journey will take them from London to Cape Town in South Africa – the ‘Long Way Down’.

Of the 20 countries along the route, many are affected by poverty or civil war, and the travelers aim to raise money for UNICEF, the Children’s Hospice Association Scotland and Riders For Health, a charity supporting motorcycle-riding health workers in Africa.

McGregor, says, “Long Way Round changed us all – it bound us together and made our dreams come true – and it’s not often something like that happens. So to be given another opportunity to do something like this is amazing.”

The journey can be tracked at www.bbc.co.uk/longwaydown/, and will later be documented in a television series.

Look To The Stars News: Charley Boorman

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