Look To The Stars News: Emma Thompson

Paul McCartney's Guitar Auctioned For ActionAid

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:30:00 -0000

A handmade guitar owned by Sir Paul McCartney was due to go under the hammer for charity in London last night, November 25.

The black acoustic/electric guitar was made especially by Takamine Guitars and has his name inscribed in mother of pearl on the fret board. A pair of the guitars were presented to the former Beatle after a tour 10 years ago.

The guitar was auctioned as part of ActionAid’s Call My Wine Bluff event held to raise money for the charity’s work fighting poverty and injustice worldwide. Based on the classic TV game show, Call my Bluff, special celebrity guests included Emma Thompson, David Mitchell, Sue Perkins, Sean Lock, Hugh Dennis and Tim Brooke-Taylor – all of whom tried to trick guests into believing a story behind the wines they were tasting.

“This was an inspiring night,” said Thompson. “During the credit crunch people came to help those with no credit to crunch. I was proud of them and hopeful that these difficult times are teaching us that we are all connected and we all need to help one another. I really hope we do this event annually. As well as being very moving it raised a lot of cash and was such good fun.”

ActionAid reaches over 13 million of the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world and helps them fight for and gain their rights to food, shelter, work, education, and healthcare. Established in 1972, they have been working to fight poverty for over 35 years.

The event raised well over £180,000 (US$360,000) for ActionAid.

Give Landmines The Boot With Charity Auction

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A British charity for victims of landmines has launched their annual online celebrity shoe auction.

The Mines Advisory Group has gathered footwear from over 50 celebrities for the auction, which will raise vital funds for their projects and draw attention to the part of the body most vulnerable to landmines.

The auction was launched by model Kelly Knox, the glamorous winner of BBC 3’s best disabled model competition, at Merchant Taylor’s Hall in London.

“We are extremely honored to have Kelly launch our shoe auction this year,” said MAG’s Chief Executive Lou McGrath OBE. “Despite being born without a left forearm, Kelly has proven disability is not a deterrent to success. She should be an inspiration to the many thousands of people who have been cruelly maimed by the thousands of landmines still threatening lives and communities worldwide.”

Celebrities who have donated their soles to the cause include Judi Dench, Geri Halliwell, Chrissie Hynde, Beverley Knight, Ian McKellen, Shirley Bassey, Russell Brand, Jarvis Cocker, Heather Mills, Joanna Lumley, Susan Sarandon, Pete Townshend, KT Tunstall, Chris Martin, Rolf Harris, and many others.

The auction ends on December 4 and can be accessed via the MAG eBay site.

British charity auction site Buy Once Give Twice also currently has some exciting opportunities for philanthropic bargain hunters.

Rays of Sunshine – a charity that grants wishes to seriously and terminally ill children in the UK – have a whole bunch of VIP tickets up for grabs on the site right now, including concert experiences with Coldplay, Madness, and the Kaiser Cheifs. There is also a Fender guitar signed by Sting up for grabs, as well as a Chelsea football shirt signed by the whole team, and the chance to hang out with Emma Thompson on the set of the new Nanny McPhee movie.

But you better be quick, this auction ends tomorrow, November 26.

Prince Charles Celebrates 60th By Giving Back

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Prince Charles didn’t feel that celebrating his 60th birthday last week was any reason to break from charity work, so he attended the launch of a new project run by his Prince’s Trust.

The one-week campaign, called Youth Week, aimed to overshadow negative gang-crime press by highlighting the positive contributions young people are making in society.

“Young people are more likely to do voluntary work than any other age group,” said Martina Milburn, chief executive of the Trust. “We need to celebrate our nation’s youth.”

Through thousands of Trust community projects, young people have contributed nearly £100 million to local areas across the UK.

During a Royal visit to the Trust last month, Queen Elizabeth said, “[Prince Philip and I] are both enormously proud to have been reminded here today of [Prince Charles’] personal contribution to this remarkable organization.”

Actress Emma Thompson is also impressed with the Prince’s work over the past decades. Unable to attend his birthday in person, Thompson gave interviews to publicly congratulate him. “He’s a remarkable guy who just spends his entire time working to make the world slightly less tricky to be in. Everything he said when he was a young man – that he was ridiculed for by the British press – is all coming to pass. He’s much loved by many, and especially by me.”

“For Prince Philip and me,” said the Queen at Prince Charles’ birthday celebration, “there can be no greater pleasure or comfort than to know that into his care are safely entrusted the guiding principles of public service and duty to others.”

Emma Thompson Supports Epilepsy Foundation

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

British actress Emma Thompson has been named patron of the Daisy Garland Foundation.

“The Daisy Garland Foundation is an extremely worthwhile cause,” said Thompson. “This family-run, registered charity works tirelessly to raise funds for children with epilepsy. They put their efforts to the best use by funding specialist dieticians to work within the National Health System, giving children with difficult to control epilepsy a chance to reach their full potential in life.“

The charity was set up by Sara and David Garland, whose daughter – Daisy – died from Severe Myoclonic Epilepsy in 2004, just 3 days after her sixth birthday. The Foundation aims to improve the quality of life for children who suffer from difficult to control epilepsy accompanied by developmental delay. They do this by raising awareness of epilepsy and the issues faced by families, offering support to children and families, and providing any equipment needed by families affected by epilepsy.

“I’m delighted to be associated with this charity,” said Thompson. “[I] give them my full and heartfelt support.”

More information about the charity can be found at their website.

College Students Stage Celebrity Shoe Auction

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A host of celebrities are baring their soles in a charity auction organized by college students in Scotland this week.

Robin Williams, Daniel Radcliffe, Zoë Wanamaker, Ewan McGregor, and Elton John are among the stars to donate their footwear to One Step Beyond, a charity made up of staff and students of Angus College at Arbroath.

The 19 pairs of shoes will be on auction until October 19, and proceeds will go to organizations such as Cancer Research UK, Cash for Kids, No More Landmines, and the Angus College Charitable Trust.

“The very first pair of celeb shoes that we got in were from Sir Elton John and he very kindly donated his 1975 original stage shoes to us, which are really quite fantastic so we’re hoping to get good bids for them,“ said auction organizer Kay Gilmour. “As well as that we’ve got shoes from Andy Murray, footballers’ boots such as Barry Ferguson’s, and Stephen Fry gave us his hairy monster slippers. We also have shoes from the US – we’ve got Robin Williams’ hand-made gold trainers which he signed for us and we’ve got Emma Thompson, who gave us a beautiful pair of Jimmy Choo shoes, which she wore when she was launching her movie Nanny McPhee in the States. We also have Jo Brand’s smelly plimsolls – as she calls them, not us – and a whole range of other stuff.”

Last year, students at the school created a three-mile line of shoes and then donated all 20,000 pairs to charities in Africa.

The auction can be accessed through eBay.

What Book Got The Stars Hooked?

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Before they were famous, they were reading under the covers with flashlights like the rest of us, and now, stars are sharing their love of reading with us through the What Got You Hooked? campaign.

What Book Got You Hooked is an initiative of First Book, a charity whose mission is to give children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books. The online campaign highlights the importance of books in the lives of children – especially for those in need.

From now through September 15, visitors to the First Book Web site are asked to share their memory of the first book that made reading fun, then help get more children hooked by voting for the state to receive a special donation of 50,000 new books for children in need. Oklahoma was last year’s campaign winner with over 34,000 votes in its favor. Visitors are also invited to make a $10 donation, to help provide four brand new books for a child in need.

So far, the campaign has generated celebrity support from an eclectic mix of stars including Stephen Colbert, Emma Thompson, Edward Norton, Scarlett Johansson, David Duchovny, Neil Patrick Harris, John Krasinski, Rebecca Romijn, Barry Manilow, Ira Glass, John Hodgman, Bow Wow, Patti LaBelle, and many more. Each celebrity has given the charity information on what their favorite books were when they were younger, and their choices can be found at the organization’s website.

The choice was clear for John Hodgman, the author and humorist best known for his personification of PC in the popular “Get a Mac” advertising campaign: Tintin. “I don’t remember the moment I learned to read, but I do remember the moment Tintin’s captions – always in cursive, which might as well have been hieroglyphics to me – suddenly became clear to me,” Mr. Hodgman explains. “It’s the first time I remember a book actually, physically altering my brain. Though, I am glad to say, not the last.”

First Book was founded in 1992. The First Book model was developed to leverage the work of local heroes who reach children through existing literacy programs in a variety of settings, such as Head Start centers, libraries, soup kitchens, churches, housing projects, and afterschool initiatives. Working through this vast network of organizations, First Book plays a critical role in transforming the quality of preschool and after-school programs nationwide.

To find out more about First Book, or to donate books, visit www.firstbook.org.

Ricky Martin Fights Human Trafficking

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:49:29 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

In February of this year, singer Ricky Martin spent three-days at a United Nations conference in Vienna where he learned of Cambodia’s child trafficking problems. This week, he was reduced to tears during a charity trip to a Cambodian shelter where a teenage rape victim performed a song she wrote about her ordeal as a trafficking victim.

“She sings like an angel,” said Martin, a five-time Grammy Award winner.

The sultry pop star was representing his Ricky Martin Foundation in support of the fight against human trafficking when he visited a shelter in Siem Reap in order to spend time with children affected by sexual assaults. The shelter houses 65 victims of human trafficking, and Martin spent time comforting, among others, a 3-month-old girl whose mother was sold into prostitution, as well as numerous children in need of comfort.

After his visit, Martin was obviously touched by the stories from these young survivors.

“I’m not going to stop.” He told the children, “All of you are my heroes. You are a gift of my life.”

 According to the United Nations, about 2.5 million people are involved in forced labor as a result of trafficking, with most victims between the ages of 18 and 24. The US State Department has called Cambodia a country that is ‘a source, destination and transit country for men, women, and children trafficked for sexual exploitation and labor.’

“The fact that you have 200 non-governmental groups working in the country working on human trafficking is unheard of,” Martin told Cambodian officials, according to the Associated Press.

Martin isn’t alone on his quest, and has joined actress Emma Thompson and Egyptian first lady Suzanne Mubarak in calling for action. Additionally, in 2005, Martin collaborated with the International Organization for Migration on “Llama y Vive” (Call and Live), a campaign aimed at the prevention of human trafficking, protection of the youngest victims of child trafficking, and prosecution of the traffickers.

Martin has been a vocal activits for years. In September 2002, he received a Hispanic Heritage Award for his humanitarian work through the Sabera Foundation in rescuing three orphan girls from the streets of Calcutta. He also acts as a Goodwill Ambassador to UNICEF, and established the Ricky Martin Foundation in Puerto Rico to advocate for the welfare of children around the world.

Martin established the Ricky Martin Foundation in Puerto Rico, to effectively pursue his humanitarian principles and to advocate for the welfare of children around the world. From the outset, Martin and his staff decided to support programs that enhance the well being of children. As facilitators and strong believers in partnerships with international organizations, the private sector, local non-profits, and individuals, the Ricky Martin Foundation continues to evolve. Our voice in alliance with other sectors is committed to defend the most fragile population against modern forms of slavery and to provide them a safer world through wellness initiatives.

To further uphold our principle of social justice, in 2004 the RMF launched People for Children, a global initiative to educate, denunciate, and support the international framework for the elimination of human trafficking, especially minors. This unscrupulous market annually generates $10 billion dollars, and it’s only preceded by the trafficking of drugs and arms.

Emma Thompson Speaks Out for the Forgotten

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 13:23:12 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

The Helen Bamber Foundation is holding a Candlelight Vigil to Remember the Forgotten in London this evening. The charity works with survivors of genocide, torture, trafficking and rape, offering them the support they need to rediscover their strength and security. The Foundation also works towards an end to human trafficking, offering hope to the living disappeared.

Their website says of the vigil: “It’s a small thing to light a candle but its meaning for those who remain lost in the dark is immeasurable.”

Speaking at the vigil will be Emma Thompson, an active Helen Bamber Foundation supporter, and actress/poet Eve Pearce. Music will be provided by Jazz trumpeter Guy Barker and vocalist Ian Shaw.

For more information on tickets or to make a donation, visit the Helen Bamer Foundation’s website.

Emma Thompson’s Sex Slave Journey

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 12:25:22 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Actress and screenwriter Emma Thompson has lent her face and time to support the Journey installation, which recently appeared in front of London’s National Gallery and is now headed to other locations.

Journey’s seven rusty shipping containers, the kind also used for trafficking people, lined Trafalgar Square for a week last month. Each container was curated by a different artist, and each depicts elements in the life of a London sex slave, Elena, sold for £500 ($1,000 US) in Lithuania to traffickers, and then forced to serve 20 to 30 clients a day. Visitors to the installation leave at least disturbed, if not unnerved.

Created to bring attention to the work of the Helen Bamber Foundation, an organization that offers therapeutic treatment to those traumatised by violence and abuse, the installation came from Thompson’s friendship with Elena, one of Bamber’s clients. Thompson offers her studio for yoga and pilates to clients from the foundation.

“They come through a lot, and we have volunteers who teach drums and guitar. It’s part of their physical rehabilitation. I get to know people and we talk, and some people you make friends with,” Thompson says. “Our engagement with people who have suffered is full of riches. Our curiosity needs to be engaged instead of pity. We need engagement rather than charity.”

It is the goal of Journey to raise awareness about sex trafficking, and the fact that the UK has become the prime destination for trafficked women and girls. Its other goal, of course, is to raise funds for the Helen Bamber Foundation for the rehabilitation of victims. The foundation in particular wants the UK to sign up to the Council of Europe Convention on Trafficking.

Journey is due to go on tour to Glasgow, Liverpool, and hopefully eastern Europe.

Thompson And Newton Help Raise Funds For Breast Cancer Charity

Sat, 17 Mar 2007 15:56:06 -0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Film stars Emma Thompson and Thandie Newton were among the stars at the Lavender Trust Speakeasy event in London on Wednesday night.

The Lavender Trust is an initiative of the UK charity Breast Cancer Care which raises money for young breast cancer sufferers. Its lively 1920s-inspired Speakeasy event spurred Thompson, Newton and others to take to the stage and sing. Model Sophie Dahl performed two songs with jazz singer Jamie Cullum, while Sting was among other celebrity attendees.

The event raised £200,000, a quarter of which came from a fundraising auction.

Stars' Doodles Auctioned

Sat, 04 Mar 2006 23:17:38 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Emma Thompson, Claudia Schiffer and Sir Roger Moore are among the list of celebrities who have taken part in the UK’s National Doodle Day. The fun drawings are up for auction on eBay, raising money for Epilepsy Action and the Neurofibromatosis Association.

Look To The Stars News: Emma Thompson

Paul McCartney's Guitar Auctioned For ActionAid

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