Look To The Stars News: JK Rowling

JK Rowling Kept Busy With Charity Work

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:30:00 -0000

A signed first edition of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows will be the big attraction in a charity auction in Scotland next week.

Author JK Rowling has donated the book to the Perth and Kinross Association of Voluntary Service (PKAVS), to be auctioned off as part of their Touch of Tartan charity ball on August 29.

“We were really excited to receive this donation from JK Rowling and to have her support,” said Helen MacKinnon, marketing and development co-ordinator for the organization. “As the prize is so outstanding and tickets have sold out, we have decided to open up the bidding on the Harry Potter novel to anyone interested.”

The Ball will take place at the Salutation Hotel in the Scottish town of Perth, and will include a civic reception hosted by Perth and Kinross Council, fine dining, and Scottish melodies from local band the Gallivanters.

PKAVS has been helping people and families across Perth & Kinross for over 30 years, and run a range of projects supporting the community of Perth & Kinross. Their projects help over 5,000 local people every year, supporting the elderly, the disabled, individuals with mental ill health, and the family members who care for them.

The book has been estimated to be worth over £500 (US$1,000), and anyone interested in bidding should contact Helen MacKinnon at helen.mackinnon@pkavs.org.uk before August 28.

Rowling is also involved with a charity-based competition being run in Britain. St. Martin-in-the-Fields, a London landmark currently undergoing a more-than $70-million upgrade, has invited stars to design panes of stained glass which will then be given away as prizes in the competition. Joining Rowling in flexing her design muscles are Stephen Fry, Joanna Lumley, and Bill Bryson.

People interested in entering the competition can choose whose design they want to win, with entries costing £10. To take part, visit the competition website.

JK Rowling Donates Books To Charity Auction

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Hot on the heels of her announcement that she is giving the proceeds of her latest book to charity, JK Rowling has done it again – this time donating books to a charity that raises awareness of a skin condition.

The 43-year-old author has just donated a complete set of signed Harry Potter books to the XP Support Group, an organization that helps children with Xeroderma Pigmentosum, a condition that makes them extremely sensitive to sunlight. All seven books will now be put up for auction in November to coincide with the release of the sixth film in the series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

“You can’t imagine how delighted we are,” said Sandra Webb, who established the charity after her son was diagnosed with XP. “It’s wonderful, it could mean a lot to our charity.”

Rowling became aware of the charity when the mother of one of its members wrote to her about it.

“She wrote back to David and sent him some books and said she would send us some gifts to raise money,” said the boy’s mother. “We are just absolutely over the moon she has taken so much from one letter. We now know we can run the charity comfortably for the next year and a half. It’s a huge gift for us.”

The books will be auctioned on eBay, and Look To The Stars will let you know when it is up and running.

Harry Potter Returns For Charity

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A book of Harry Potter-related fairy tales written and illustrated by JK Rowling is to be published for charity.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard is a collection of five tales first referred to in Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the seventh and final part in the author’s series of wizarding masterpieces. It was initially produced as seven handwritten copies, six of which were given away by Rowling as gifts, and one was bought by Amazon.com at auction in December for $4 million.

“There was understandable disappointment among Harry Potter fans when only one copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard was offered to the public last December,” said Rowling. “I am therefore delighted to announce that, thanks to the generous support of Bloomsbury, Scholastic and Amazon – and with the blessing of the wonderful people who own the other six original books – The Tales of Beedle the Bard will now be widely available to all Harry Potter fans.”

The book will be released on December 4 by Bloomsbury in Britain and Scholastic in the United States, and Amazon plans to sell a leather-bound collectors’ edition priced at $100. Rowling has generously signed over all her royalties from the book to the Children’s High Level Group, a charity founded by JK Rowling and Emma Nicholson in 2005 to improve the well-being, health and protection of vulnerable children. The charity works at a political and practical level to ensure that UN minimum standards for the care of children are implemented across the whole of Europe and beyond. Their Children’s Voice campaign wants to end the neglect and abuse of children and teenagers that still exists in many countries.

The Spy Who Loved Me For Charity

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Ever fancy a kiss with James Bond? Or a cuddle with Hugh Grant? One lucky bidder did on Tuesday night, when they won the chance to do exactly that at a charity auction in London.

The Great British Movie Event, a dinner and auction to raise cash for the National Film and Television School, attracted a host of famous faces, including Richard Attenborough, Christopher Lee, Rowan Atkinson, Honor Blackman, Bill Nighy, and Richard Curtis. Hosted by Jonathan Ross, the evening raised over $800,000 for the school, which specializes in high-end media training.

The chance to kiss three living legends – Hugh Grant, James Bond actor Daniel Craig, and Harry Potter’s Robbie Coltrane – sold for a whopping $39,000, with the honor going to Barbara Broccoli, producer of the James Bond film franchise.

And although they didn’t have to fight over the girl, Craig and Grant did enter into a bidding war over some Harry Potter memorabilia, with Craig eventually paying $36,000 for the chance to own some of the famous wizard’s belongings. Hugh Grant was later outbid again, this time for two walk-on parts in one of his own films…

Other items up for auction on the night included the dinner jacket worn by Daniel Craig in the most recent Bond film ‘Casino Royale’, which sold for almost $20,000, and a signed copy of JK Rowling’s ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’, which fetched $39,000.

Harry Potter Prequel Casts Its Charity Magic

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:38:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

JK Rowling’s 800 word Harry Potter prequel has sold for $48,858, with the proceeds going to charity.

An absent bidder at the auction – held at Waterstone’s Bookstore in London yesterday – paid $59 per word for the short story, which was handwritten on both sides of an A5-size card. As reported earlier, the proceeds from the sale went to the English writer’s association, PEN, and Dyslexia Action.

Twelve other authors and illustrators also contributed stories to the auction, including playwright Tom Stoppard – whose short story raised $7,816 – Nobel Prize winner Doris Lessing, and novelists Nick Hornby and Margaret Atwood.

Rowling’s story is set three years before Harry is born and features the characters Sirius Black and James Potter, Harry’s father. After some trouble with a policeman, the pair escape with broomsticks and a little bit of magic.

The prequel can be viewed at Waterstone’s shop in central London, or can be read in its entirety online.

Harry Potter Returns For Charity Gala And Prequel

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:38:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Witches and wizards galore crammed a castle in the dark depths of Scotland on Friday night, all in the name of charity.

Harry Potter creator JK Rowling host to the goulish guests at the ghastly gala held at Harburn House in West Lothian to raise funds for the Scottish Multiple Sclerosis Society. And as well as monstrous music and disastrous dancing (ok, sorry, the alliteration is just getting silly now), there was also an auction with a very special prize donated by the author – the chance to be immortalized as a wizard or witch in a portrait at the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park in Florida.

The event, which was attended by guests such as Charlotte Church and author Ian Rankin, raised a massive $632,000 for the charity.

Rowling is a longtime supporter of the MS Society, and became patron of the organization after losing her mother to the disease.

The gala follows the announcement last week that Rowling has penned an 800-word prequel to her seven-book Harry Potter series as part of a charity auction to be held next month.

The auction will take place at Waterstone’s Bookstore in Central London on June 10, and will feature a selection of short stories written by famous writers on special cards. Money from the auction will go to English PEN, the writer’s association, and Dyslexia Action.

The auction follows the sale of a handwritten, leather-bound book of fairy tales the author sold for $4 million in December to raise money for Children’s Voice.

And for any diehard Potter fans out there – the prequel is said to be a conversation between Harry’s father, James, and Sirius Black.

Johnny's Angels - When Stars Inspire Fans

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:36:32 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

At Look To The Stars we like to bring you news about the ways your favorite stars are making the world a better place, and we strive to inspire you to follow their examples and do what you can to help those in need. We are happy to say that there are some people out there who have been inspired to do good in the name of their idols, and the hard work is now paying off.

Johnny’s Angels is a group set up by fans of Johnny Depp who were inspired by the many good deeds the actor does, including his words of kindness for young cancer sufferers and his attempts to wake up young coma patients. The group now hopes to inspire others to help children, especially young cancer patients, by performing acts of kindness.

“We have been inspired by Johnny Depp, and now we would like to inspire YOU,” says the group’s website. “Johnny’s Angels: Depp Fans for Charity is a meaningful way for Depp fans to honor an actor whose talent and humanity have inspired so many.”

The group focuses on raising awareness and funds for children’s hospices, in particular the Children’s Hospice & Palliative Care Coalition. They raised over $5,000 for the charity in 2007 – through donations, events, and the sale of merchandise – a phenomenal tribute to the actor.

And Johnny Depp himself is impressed with the group. The actor recently wrote a letter to Johnny’s Angels, thanking them for the work that they do in his name, and was blown away by their support and fundraising.

“I wish to express my extreme gratitude to all at Johnny’s Angels, and the wonderful effort made for a cause that is indeed something I hold dear,” wrote the 44-year-old. “Your kindness will benefit those in need at a time when they will appreciate it most… Your generosity of spirit knows no bounds, and for that I am eternally in your debt. I am honored and humbled by you all.”

The group isn’t the only philanthropic fan club out there, fighting for causes in the name of their heroes. The Every Day Angels Foundation was set up by fans of singer/songwriter Jewel to encourage individual awareness of the world and ideas on how people can live their lives to their fullest potential. Established in 1997, the group promotes volunteerism and inspires grass-roots community building through education. Harry Potter fans have also created an inspiring site for actor Daniel Radcliffe, who plays the “Boy Who Lived” in the movie series based on JK Rowling’s books. The group regularly raises money for Radcliffe’s favorite charity, Demelza House, and recieved a message of thanks from the actor in return.

Johnny Depp fans are encouraged to visit www.johnnysangels.org; if you know of any other groups working for causes in the name of celebrities, please contact us.

Harry Potter Features At Charity Auction

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 06:45:26 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Harry Potter fans listen up! A charity auction is giving one lucky bidder the chance to own a very special print signed by JK Rowling.

The auction, accessed through the Charity Folks website, has listed the special print of Peeves The Poltergeist as part of their current event benefiting Love Our Children USA, a non-profit organization that that honors, respects and protects children. Also available as part of the auction is a one-of-a-kind Michael Buble gift pack containing a signed CD, a black Michael Bublé hoodie sweatshirt, a Black Michael Bublé Ladies’ baby t-shirt, a black Michael Bublé Men’s t-shirt, a gray Michael Bublé Ladies’ baby t-shirt, and a pink Michael Bublé Ladies’ baby t-shirt. Robin Williams fans can also get in on the action by bidding on a leatherbound House Of D script signed by the actor.

Interested bidders had better get over to the auction quick – it ends tomorrow, April 30. And bid until it hurts …because children should never hurt!

Young Girl Calls Celebrities For A Hand

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 12:37:33 -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 Richards, 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.

JK Rowling Spellbound By Charity Book Sale

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 09:12:32 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Originally expected to bring in around $100,000, JK Rowling’s book “The Tales of Beedle the Bard” instead raised nearly $4 million… in just ten minutes of bidding. It is a price unheard of for a children’s book at auction and forty times what was anticipated.

The book is one of only seven in existence. Rowling gave the first six to friends as thank-you gifts, and the last one was auctioned by Sotheby’s for charity. The books, hand written and illustrated by Rowling, are bound in leather and uniquely embossed with silver and moonstones. “The Tales of Beedle the Bard” is a collection of wizarding fairy-tales alluded to in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final book of the Harry Potter series. In The Deathly Hallows, Dumbledore left the volume of tales that provide clues to defeating Lord Voldemort to Harry’s friend Hermione.

The winning bid went to the London painting and drawing dealership Hazlitt, Gooden & Fox. Says Rowling of the record-breaking bid, “I’m stunned and ecstatic. This will mean so much to the children desperately in need of help. It means Christmas has come early for me.”

The Children’s Voice campaign, beneficiary of the proceeds, is run by the Children’s High Level Group, founded by JK Rowling and Emma Nicholson in 2005 to “improve the well-being, health and protection of vulnerable children. The Children’s Voice wants to make life better for young people in care; across Eastern Europe and ultimately across the whole of the modern world.”

Rowling Hand-Writes New Potter Stories for Charity

Sun, 11 Nov 2007 15:23:18 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

JK Rowling hasn’t rested since finishing the Harry Potter series with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The author has hand-written and illustrated seven copies of a new book, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a collection of wizarding fairy-tales mentioned in the final Potter book. Rowling gave six of the books as thank-you gifts, and the seventh will be auctioned to raise money for The Children’s Voice campaign run by the Children’s High Level Group (CHLG).

Although one of Beedle the Bard’s stories, The Tale of the Three Brothers, is recounted in the last Potter book, the other four tales were only alluded to. Rowling had these books of never-before-told stories bound in leather with uniquely embossed silver and moon stones, and in her dedication at the front of each wrote that the proceeds of the auction will go to help institutionalized children.

In a BBC interview, Rowing stated, “I could not think of anyone with less of a voice, or more disenfranchised, than a child with mental health issues or handicapped, who has been taken from their family or given by their family to an institution and then placed in a cage. I couldn’t think of anyone more vulnerable, or anyone more in need of an articulate voice.”

JK Rowling and Emma Nicholson founded the CHLG in 2005 to “improve the well-being, health and protection of vulnerable children. The Children’s Voice wants to make life better for young people in care; across Eastern Europe and ultimately across the whole of the modern world.”

Says Rowling, “Large amounts of wealth bring a certain responsibility. If you’re any kind of human being, then once you fulfill your family’s needs, you think, well how do I do some good with this?”

The seventh Tales of Beedle the Bard book will be auctioned by Sotheby’s on December 13, and is expected to fetch up to £50,000 ($100,000).

JK Rowling Helps the Homeless

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 10:18:13 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

While in Germany to promote the German version of the last book in the Harry Potter series, JK Rowling has once again given special attention to Munich’s independent street magazine BISS. Rowling gave an interview to the magazine, which is sold by the city’s homeless, before last Saturday’s launch of her new book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

BISS was able to publish both snippets of Rowling news, and an account of the author’s trials over the past ten years of writing the Potter series, especially the last book:

“Particularly grueling was the day on which I wrote the 35th chapter, the one in which Harry prepares for his death. All the emotions that had stored up inside me after years of writing about Harry suddenly poured out,” she said.

Founded in 1993, BISS helps a small minority of homeless help themselves. Short for Burger in sozialen Schwierigkeiten (Citizens in Difficulty), homeless men and women with selling permits pocket a percentage of the magazine’s price, and receive support with debt repayments and with getting a foothold back into society.

Rowling herself was on social security, raising her daughter alone until her first success with Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in 1997. Four years ago, Rowling allowed BISS to publish the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix before it hit the shops.

A substantial contributor to charities, mainly ones fighting poverty and social inequality, JK Rowling says, “I think you have a moral responsibility when you’ve been given far more than you need, to do wise things with it and give intelligently.”

Autographed Harry Potter Books Up For Auction

Sun, 12 Aug 2007 14:40:34 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

People may think that author JK Rowling would have a lot of spare time on her hands now with the release of the seventh and final book in the Harry Potter series. But she is filling that time by giving a little back to her fans, especially those in need.

The bestselling author has recently donated a complete set of seven autographed Harry Potter books to be sold in a very special internet auction, starting September 1. All proceeds from the auction will go to the Catie Hoch Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping children who are being treated for cancer. It was founded by Gina Peca and Larry Hoch in 2001, and named in memory of their 9 year old daughter, who lost her courageous battle with neuroblastoma, a pediatric cancer, in May 2000.

During her illness, Catie Hoch identified with Harry Potter’s fight against evil forces, and saw her battle as similar. She would often dress as the boy wizard when undergoing treatment for the disease. JK Rowling, who was working on the fourth book in the series at the time, heard about her terminally ill fan, and was both saddened by her condition, and heartened by her courage.

While Catie was ill, Rowling would email her with notes of encouragement, and read her the as-then unreleased Book 4, The Goblet Of Fire, over the phone. Catie passed away before Rowling finished reading the book to her.

“While Catie was ill, Ms Rowling brought joy to Catie’s life,” said Catie’s mother, Gina. “She continues to touch the lives of children fighting cancer with her generous support of the Catie Hoch Foundation through the recent donation of the autographed books.”

The auction runs till September 29, and can be viewed at www.whenharrymetcatie.com.

Gorbachev Cancer Fundraiser Draws Stars

Fri, 08 Jun 2007 08:13:15 -0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev hosted a gala dinner last weekend to raise money for the cancer charity he established in memory of his wife.

Raisa Gorbachev died of leukemia in 1999, and the Raisa Gorbachev Foundation aims to create a specialist hospital in St. Petersburg, Russia, that will provide high-quality medical care to children with cancer.

The gala event at Hampton Court Palace was attended by Bob Geldof, former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, actors Ralph Fiennes, Kim Cattrall and Anna Friel, singer Rod Stewart, authors Tom Wolfe and JK Rowling and supermodel Elle Macpherson.

Rowling, Branson, Cowell Boost Reward Fund For Missing Girl

Tue, 15 May 2007 09:58:40 -0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Some of Britain’s biggest names have pledged money to a record £2.5 million ($5 million) reward for the safe return of 4-year-old Madeleine McCann, who disappeared in Portugal while on holiday with her family.

The girl from Leicestershire, England, vanished from a holiday apartment in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz on 3 May.

Celebrity contributions to the reward fund have included £50,000 ($100,000) from Simon Cowell, £100,000 ($200,000) from Richard Branson, an unspecified amount from footballer Wayne Rooney, and a “staggering” contribution from billionaire “Harry Potter” author JK Rowling.

Madeleine’s parents, Gerry and Kate McCann, are still in Portugal helping with the search. Mr McCann said, “Until there is concrete evidence to the contrary, we believe Madeleine is safe and is being looked after.”

A website has been set up to provide information about Madeleine and to help speed her return: www.bringmadeleinehome.com

Britain’s Multiple Sclerosis Society, of which JK Rowling is a patron, received a “significant” donation from the author of the best-selling “Harry Potter” book series.

The money will help fund a new £2.5 million research centre in Edinburgh, Scotland, that will further the charity’s work towards finding a cure for the disease.

Rowling’s mother Anne died from the neurological disease in 1990 aged 45, and around 85,000 people in the UK alone currently have the disabling condition.

Of her donation, Rowling said, “It means a great deal to me to be able to provide support for this much needed research centre. It is an extremely exciting step forward in the on-going battle to try to unlock the mysteries of MS and which will hopefully, one day, lead to a cure.”

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