Look To The Stars News: Michael Schumacher

Celebrity-Led Fundraising Campaign Supports Charities In Their Hour Of Need

Fri, 22 May 2009 15:00:00 -0000

How would you like to meet some of your favourite celebs, in the flesh? Are you a fan of Daniel O’Donnell or Tim Henman, maybe Raymond Blanc or Rock Legend Suzi Quatro?

Or, maybe celebrities are not your thing, so how about the ultimate behind the scenes day with the Red Arrows or backstage on GMTV? Perhaps even own one of Paul O’Grady’s iconic Lily Savage dresses or a stunning print signed by Ali and Joe Frazier!

All these and a lot more form part of a very timely and innovative celebrity led fundraising campaign which launches on Thursday evening May 21st to provide hard hit charities with much needed revenue at a time when their donation levels are plummeting.

The BIG Bid campaign was created and built by the specialist charity support organisation, Ingenious Fundraising, in partnership with eBay for Charity and supported by the Charities Aid Foundation. It has been two years in the planning and can be found at www.ebay.co.uk/thebigbid. The campaign really is going live at a crucial time for the nation’s voluntary sector.

Campaign director, Paul Sayer, says ‘People seem to be fed up with doom and gloom stories at the moment so we hope they will indulge in a little retail therapy to lift their spirits. By treating themselves to something special they will also get a feel-good factor from knowing they are helping some very deserving causes into the bargain’.

‘We have found some exceptional items such as the ultimate VIP day for the Wimbledon Men’s Final with Tim Henman signing a special memento or how about a flight over London in a vintage airliner with a celebrity guest on board. These are experiences that just don’t come along every day, so should attract some real interest’.

About 25 charities will benefit from the campaign which runs for 10 days until Sunday May 31st including one of the nation’s most popular causes, Help for Heroes, along with Action for Children, CLIC Sargent, the Teenage Cancer Trust and many more.

Going under the hammer are items such as:

The Ultimate VIP Day with The Red Arrows. Really get behind the scenes at their Scampton home base.
Paul O’Grady’s Lilly Savage teddy bear dress
Meet Countdown’s own Rachel Riley
Meet Daniel O’Donnell in person in concert
The Ultimate VIP Day at Haydock Racecourse for The Sprint Cup as guests of Betfred – rub shoulders with a host of celebrities.
Meet Raymond Blanc and a host of celebrity chefs at amazing Gala Gourmet Dinner in Guildhall, London.
Ali v Frazier stunning signed print
Meet Rock Legend Suzi Quatro in concert
Men’s Finals Day VIP package with personally signed memorabilia by Tim Henman at Wimbledon 2009.
Pelé hand signed retro Brazil shirt with photo COA
Fully signed England Football Squad shirt donated by the FA
The X-Factor judges amazing art work Simon Cowell, Dannii Minogue, Cheryl Cole and Louis Walsh crafted in toast – yes toast!
Retro 1966 England Shirt signed by 20 of the World Cup winning squad and photo evidence
Meet the GMTV team – go backstage during a morning broadcast
Glastonbury signed shirts inc Kings Of Leon, The Fratellis and The Verve
Jeff banks own Olympic Bid Team Watch
Jools Holland signed memorabilia
Fly over London in an historic aircraft
Signed Brian Lara mini cricket bat
Stunning signed memorabilia from Lulu, Kylie Minogue, Pierce Brosnan, Michael Schumacher and many other stars of stage, screen, music and sport
Signed sheet music from Queen and Robbie Williams.

The Big Bid Raises Cash For Charities

Wed, 06 May 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The Big Bid – one of the biggest celebrity charity auctions to be held in 2009 – is on right now.

For the entire month of May, items from stars such as Bono, Kylie Minogue, Robbie Williams, Lewis Hamilton, Ricky Gervais, Cliff Richard, Girls Aloud, Eric Clapton, McFly, Pierce Brosnan, Michael Schumacher, Lulu and many more.

The Big Bid kicked off on May 4 with an event that benefited the Mildmay HIV+AIDS Charity based in East London, in which someone paid £4,200 for the chance to meet Sir Cliff Richard. Other charities that will benefit from the auction include Help for Heroes, Amazing Daisy, CLIC Sargent and more.

To find out more about the auction and start bidding, visit the official Big Bid website.

Michael Schumacher To Kart For Charity

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher is set to take part in a charity kart race in Brazil this weekend.

The seven-time Formula 1 champion will join other racing greats such as four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon, Rubens Barrichello, Tony Kanaan, Vitor Meira, Alex Barros, Luca Badoer, Vitantonio Liuzzi and Lucas Di Grassi in the race, which is being organized by Felipe Massa, the Brazilian driver who was runner-up in this year’s Formula One competition.

The 4th annual International Challenge of the Stars will take place in Southern Brazil, and will raise money for local charities and victims of recent flooding in the country.

Soccer Stars Take A Kick Against Poverty

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

Close to 30,000 soccer fans attended Monday’s fifth edition of the ‘Match Against Poverty’ hosted by soccer stars Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo.

“We don’t forget where we have come from and we are uniting in a good cause,” said former France international Zidane, who grew up in a poor neighborhood of Marseille.

The Match Against Poverty was organized by Zidane and Ronaldo as part of their role as Goodwill Ambassadors for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The objective of the match is to raise public awareness of the fight against poverty and to convince governments of the value of working towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which seek to cut world poverty in half by 2015.

“The aim of such a match is to make people aware of the problem of poverty in the world,” said AC Milan star Ronaldo, who is still battling an injury and was substituted in the first half by seven-time Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher.

The game, which ended in a 2-2 draw, was played between ‘Friends of Zidane’ and the ‘Friends of Ronaldo’ in the central Moroccan city of Fez. Local United Nations Development Programme representative Mourad Wahda said Morocco was chosen for the progress it had made in human development. Proceeds will – as in previous years – benefit anti-poverty projects in Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America

Michael Schumacher Gets Revved Up For Football

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Motor racing legend Michael Schumacher has helped a Formula 1 team take on a Hungarian All Stars XI in a charity football match in Budapest.

The 39-year-old former Formula 1 champion led his team – which also included current F1 drivers Giancarlo Fisichella and Nico Rosberg and was coached by opera legend Placido Domingo – to a 6-6 draw in front of 10,000 at the home of Hungarian club Ferencvaros. The Hungarian national team coach, Erwin Koeman, was in charge of the All Stars.

Bulgarian businessman Daniel Borimirov was in the team with Schumacher, but was less than impressed with the driver’s ability to kick a ball.

“Schumi was quite tired,” joked Borimirov. “He is crazy about motors and was driving all day on the track. I felt embarrassed because of his misses.”

Proceeds from the game will go to a Hungarian children’s hospital.

Iconic Eveningwear Up For Auction

Sat, 02 Dec 2006 23:25:21 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Trademark pieces worn by two of film’s most famous characters are to be auctioned off for charity in the first half of December.

British auctioneers Christie’s will sell the classic black dress worn by Audrey Hepburn’s character, Holly Golightly, in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and a live auction for UK charity ChildLine will feature the tuxedo worn by Daniel Craig as James Bond in Casino Royale.

Hepburn’s Givenchy dress will sell as part of Christie’s annual film and entertainment sale in London on the 5th of December. The lot is expected to raise £50,000-£70,000 (around $99,000-$140,000) for underprivileged children in India through the City of Joy Aid charity.

Hepburn’s wardrobe for the film was designed by Hubert de Givenchy, and the renowned designer has donated key pieces from his collection to raise money for disadvantaged children around the world in an attempt to continue the spirit of Audrey Hepburn’s work for UNICEF.

The famous black dress was given to Monsieur and Madame Lapierre to raise money for their City of Joy Aid charity. A meeting with Mother Theresa prompted the Lapierres to found the charity in 1981, which helps the poorest of the poor through a network of clinics, schools, rehabilitation centers and hospital boats.

The dress is currently available for viewing at Christie’s in London.

Daniel Craig’s dinner suit was donated to ChildLine, which is marking its 20th anniversary by auctioning off over 30 prizes, including a part in Desperate Housewives, lyrics for the hit song Angels handwritten and signed by Robbie Williams, and a signed Michael Schumacher limited edition print. The live auction will take place at the ChildLine Ball on Saturday 9 December, though fax and email bids can be made up until 7th of December.

ChildLine is striving to raise £20m (around $40m) to extend by 1,000 the 2,500 children it currently helps each day. The charity has brought abusers to justice, and has helped nearly two million children through counselling and support.

Schumacher is in the Winner’s Circle for Philanthropy

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 20:53:30 -0000

Written by Greg Hitchcock

Michael Schumacher, the world’s most successful racing driver, announced his retirement after spending years racing and raising millions for charity.

The son of a builder from Kerpen, near Cologne, has donated almost £30 million to projects around the world in the past four years alone and, if motor racing fails to hold its allure when he hangs up his helmet at the end of the Formula One season, it is thought that he might plough his considerable wealth into a full-time foundation.

Ferrari’s seven-time world champion has worked for the United Nations charity since 1995, and his previous donations have helped build schools and clinics.

For instance, Schumacher donated $10 million, which represents about 10 percent of his annual income, to UNICEF to the relief effort following Boxing Day’s devastating tsunami disaster in south Asia. The German’s pledge, announced by agent Willi Weber on a German TV fundraiser for the UN Children’s Fund and German Red Cross, is the biggest so far in the world of sport, and possibly of any individual.

Schumacher has been a substantial donor to charities for the last eight years notably with UNESCO and UNICEF including funding a school in Dakar (Senegal), a clinic in Sarajevo and a centre for street children in Lima, Peru. He has also been involved in work in his role as a UNICEF ambassador.

“If you put them on the right track, everyone will benefit,” Schumacher said earlier this year. “But if they take the wrong road, if they don’t have any opportunities, they’ll have a difficult life and cause trouble for everyone around them.”

Look To The Stars News: Michael Schumacher

Celebrity-Led Fundraising Campaign Supports Charities In Their Hour Of Need

Related past articles

The Big Bid Raises Cash For Charities

Related past articles

Michael Schumacher To Kart For Charity

Related past articles

Soccer Stars Take A Kick Against Poverty

Related past articles

Michael Schumacher Gets Revved Up For Football

Related past articles

Iconic Eveningwear Up For Auction

Related past articles

Schumacher is in the Winner’s Circle for Philanthropy

Related past articles