Look To The Stars News: David Coulthard

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.

Rockers And Racers Invite You To Charity Track Day

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:30:00 -0000

As reported by Look To The Stars back in May, motoring enthusiasts had better start getting their engines warmed up for an incredible charity racing event to be held in the UK this September.

The Circuit is a new, exclusive event in aid of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children’s (NSPCC’s) Child’s Voice Appeal, featuring fast cars, professional drivers, celebrities and action-packed racing.

Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason and former F1 driver Mark Blundell invite you to a day of high octane excitement as you get the chance to push six high performance cars to the limit on four very different purpose built tracks at the Bedford Autodrome.

The event is generating excitement in the worlds of sport and entertainment; David Coulthard, Damon Hill, Vicki Butler-Henderson, Carl Fogarty, Deborah Meaden, Jason Plato, Phil Spencer and Darek Warwick have already signed up as celebrity team captains, and they need you to join their teams for what promises to be a highlight of sporting fun in 2009.

The day includes breakfast, lunch and refreshments and there will be a chance to bid to be driven on a circuit by a current or former Formula 1 Driver in a specially adapted car. Imagine yourself as part of a team of 20, captained by a professional driver and a celebrity from the world of sport or entertainment, accelerating around the autodrome driven by a racing professional!

The Formula Jaguar, Porsche 911 JP3, Palmer Jaguar JP1, Renault Clio Cup Racer, Caterham 7 Superlight, Jaguar XKR, a collection of genuine powerhouses, are ready and waiting for you to test your adrenaline levels to their limits.

Every lap you make will help the NSPCC’s Child’s Voice Appeal. ChildLine is only able to answer two-thirds of the 2.3 million calls it receives every year, which is why we need to expand the service to help more children and young people.

Tickets and info available here.

Formula 1 Stars Hit The Catwalk For Charity

Tue, 26 May 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

Prior to the Monaco Grand Prix in Monte Carlo, Formula One drivers took part in a fashion show at the Amber Fashion event to raise funds for the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

This is the second year in a row that Petra Ecclestone, daughter of Formula One Management CEO Bernie, has unveiled her F1 inspired men’s wear collection ‘FORM’ using the sports’ driver’s as models. Walking the catwalk for charity were Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button, Nico Rosberg, Mark Webber, Adrian Sutil, Vitantonio Liuzzi, Sebastian Vettel and F1 veteran David Coulthard.

One of last year’s participants, Mark Webber, commented: “Last year my knees were shaking a bit, but now it’s all routine! Could the catwalk be a career for me? No. So far I’ve never been a fashion junkie, but you never know – never say never!”

Jenson Button also returned to the catwalk for the second year in a row: “Whatever you might think, a modeling career was definitely never my ’plan B,” said this years Monaco Grand Prix winner. “I do this here because it is a fun event and it is for a good cause. Hopefully the guests will put their hands in their pockets and get some money out this evening. For us drivers it’s a nice break to do something different.”

The event included a charity auction presented by David Furnish, partner of Sir Elton John, and featured unique ‘money can’t buy’ items such as a ‘Mandarin Oriental Dellis Cay Luxury Experience,’ a unique print of soccer star Thierry Henry, an original hand-signed etching by Henri Matisse, and the ultimate item – dinner for ten with Sir Elton John at his house in Nice.

Guests in attendance included HSH Prince Albert of Monaco, Bernie Ecclestone, Sir Martin Sorrell, Sir Richard Branson, iconic sprinter Michael Johnson, Elizabeth Hurley and her husband Arun Nayar and many others.

David Coulthard Gives Wings For Life

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Formula 1 legend David Coulthard may have retired from the sport that made him famous, but he is certainly not forgotten. The Scottish driver is an Ambassador for the spinal injuries charity Wings For Life, and recently spoke about why the organization is important to him.

“Of all the injuries and disabilities you can have, [paraplegia and quadriplegia are] particularly cruel, especially for a young person,” he told the Daily Record in the UK. "For a large part of my adult life, I’ve been surrounded by people who have these kinds of injuries and, not just to say nice words, I am sincerely amazed and inspired by way they deal with the realities of the situation they find themselves in. I just cannot imagine how you would cope.

“I’ve been involved in supporting this kind of work for a while, through the Race of Champions event which has supported spinal cord research, before joining Red Bull. But I have got more involved through them.

“Wings For Life started through another Red Bull-sponsored sportsman, motocross rider Heinz Kinigadner, whose son and brother both have paralysis. I’ve also come across people at various events who have just amazed me. Quite often, they have been paralyzed by simple things like household injuries but are getting on with life the best they can.

“You have to decide what you will put your time and energy into, and I think this is a very worthy cause. It’s great to be able to help people and give them hope with the absolute belief that we will find a cure.”

Coulthard suffered a series of crashes throughout his career, and even survived a plane crash. He now spends a large percentage of his time raising money for Wings For Life, a charity that helps the 2.7 million people around the world who suffer from paraplegia and quadriplegia.

“One of the things I discovered is that most spinal-cord injuries are not caused through sports,” he said. "Most are from everyday injuries like falling in the bath or crashing a car. I was watching a program the other night about knife crime in Scotland, and a boy took one single stab wound to the neck, which cut his spinal cord. He’s in a wheelchair for the rest of his life unless we can find a cure.

“It’s just a question of time, effort and money, what with the way medical science has progressed over the last few years. We just have to keep going to see a result. I’m sure we will see a cure in my lifetime.”

More information about Wings For Life and the work they do can be found here.

Look To The Stars News: David Coulthard

Stars Pushing the Envelope for Literacy

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Rockers And Racers Invite You To Charity Track Day

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Formula 1 Stars Hit The Catwalk For Charity

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