Look To The Stars News: Ewan McGregor

Ewan McGregor Auctions Motorcycle For UNICEF

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

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.”

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.

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

Whatever It Takes For Christmas

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

{Whatever It Takes} – the charity that offers artworks and clothing designed by celebrities – have some great gift ideas for the coming holiday season.

The charity – which raises money for all sorts of charities, such as Adopt-A-Minefield, Anti-Slavery International, Breast Cancer Campaign, CARE, Children of the Andes, Children’s Medical Research Institute, Christian Children’s Fund, City at Peace, Comic Relief, Dreams Can Be Foundation, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Greenpeace and many more – is offering T-shirts designed by the Kaiser Chiefs and Bloc Party; rings designed by Robbie Williams, Ozzy Osbourne and Snoop Dogg mouse pads from George Clooney, Nicole Kidman, and Coldplay bed linen from Joss Stone and a huge selection of plates and mugs designed by Bob Geldof, Paul McCartney, Ewan McGregor and many others.

To get your hands on one of these unique items – which would make the perfect gift – or to see the entire range, visit the Whatever It Takes 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.

Stars Give Spectacles To Charity

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

NEWS FLASH: A selection of Hollywood’s finest actors will soon be bumping into each other and tripping over things. No, they haven’t been into the champaign at their latest premieres – they have donated their glasses to a new charity auction.

Sir Michael Caine, Robbie Coltraine, Ewan McGregor, and George Michael are among the 24 shortsighted stars to donate their spectacles to the auction to benefit Sightsavers International, a charity that aids the visually impaired.

“Without my specs I couldn’t get around so safely and I couldn’t see the beautiful colours of the world,” said McGregor, who is a big supporter of the charity.

According to Sightsavers’ website : “In developing countries it can be a challenge for people to get their eyes tested and buy a pair of glasses. This is often because there are too few ophthalmologists, not enough equipment and also people simply can’t afford prescription lenses. Not having glasses effectively renders people blind or visually impaired usually with disastrous consequences for their livelihoods, families, schooling and quality of life. Last year Sightsavers screened more than two million people across three continents to see if they need glasses, and we hope to reach even more this year. We can provide new glasses for as little as £1.50 per pair”.

The auction will start on August 15 and run to August 24, and can be accessed through eBay.

Sightsavers is also looking for people to help with the redesign of their website. If you have an internet connection and 10 minutes to spare, the charity would like you to take part in a fun little exercise called “card sorting” to help them make sure all their information is structured in the best way possible for users. For more info, go to www.sightsavers.org.

A Wave Of Charity Auctions Hit The Web

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 10:47:04 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The surf’s up for those interested in celebrity internet auctions this week, with three major auctions being run for good causes.

First up is a selection of exclusive tickets to the fifth annual Kokua Festival to be held in Honolulu on April 19. The sold-out concert will feature performances by Jack Johnson and Dave Matthews, and proceeds will go to the Kokua Hawaii Foundation – an organization founded by Johnson and his wife, Kim, that supports environmental education in the schools and communities of Hawaii. The funds raised from the Kokua Festival will be used to further support school recycling on Oahu and sponsor field trips to provide students with opportunities and experiences that will enhance their appreciation of the environment.

The two pairs of tickets are available through the Dave Matthews Band website for another four days. Other acts expected to appear at the gig include Tim Reynolds, Paula Fuga, and Brushfire Record’s latest signing, Mason Jennings.

Another auction budding bidders must be quick to get to is raising money for Sense, the UK’s largest organization for children and adults who are both deaf and blind.

The auction features a selection of clothing donated by some of Britain’s biggest stars, including Ewan McGregor, Shirley Bassey, Helen Mirren, and Harry Potter stars Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. There is also a Versace jacket signed by Kevin Spacey up for grabs, as well as a bra signed by former Page 3 girl Samantha Fox.

“When Sense asked me to give them the clothes of my back – I was only too happy to hand over my bra,” said Fox. “These clothes are a charity auction with a difference. All the money raised from the celebrity items in store will raise vital funds for deafblind people, helping them to lead independent lives.”

Sense was founded in 1955, and is passionate about changing the lives of those affected by deafblindness and advocating for them to be accepted into the community. The auction can be accessed through eBay Giving Works, but the opportunity ends in the next few days.

Finally today, fans of the FX Network’s hit series The Riches will be excited to hear that season two of the show begins on March 18. But what may excite them even more is the new auction being run in conjunction with the premiere.

As well as a selection of awesome items up for auction – including lunch and a photo opportunity with The Riches star Minnie Driver, authentic props from the set, tickets to FX premieres, and a swag of autographed posters, DVDs, and scripts – the big drawcard is the chance to win $100,000 just by bidding.

“On The Riches it is all about the big score, but this show has heart,” said Stephanie Gibbons of the FX Network. “With this auction we’re able to tie in both themes, giving someone the chance to get the win money while making a difference. We couldn’t be more excited to work with eBay and see this auction come to fruition.”

All of the proceeds will go to Oxfam America, and the auction can be accessed through eBay. Bidding opens on March 13 and runs until March 23.

2007 - The Year The Stars Gave Back

Mon, 31 Dec 2007 09:11:14 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

2007 was a year of giving, both on grand and not-so-grand scales. Celebrities from all fields, be it movies, music, sport or general entertainment, showed compassion beyond the call of duty, and in most cases had a lot of fun doing it.

Without a doubt, one of the biggest events of the year was Live Earth in July, where stars new and old shone in all of the corners of the Earth to raise awareness of the plight of the planet. The shows were generally well-received, and led to organizer Al Gore winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

But celebrities also participated in smaller, more personal acts of kindness in 2007. Harrison Ford, Calista Flockhart, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Melissa Gilbert, and Michael Douglas all donated their time to feed the hungry at the Los Angeles Mission, Fran Drescher launched the Cancer Schmancer Movement, and Ewan McGregor visited UNICEF projects during his epic motorcycle trip across Africa.

In January, Kevin Bacon launched www.sixdegrees.org, a website designed to marry the concepts of social internet networks and charities. The site aims to help people fundraise for their chosen causes, and features celebrities such as Kyra Sedgwick and Ashley Judd.

Bette Midler, founder of the New York Restoration Project, launched the Million Trees NYC initiative with Mayor Michael Bloomberg in October, to get city dwellers to plant more trees. The project plans to increase New York’s urban forest by 20% in the next ten years.

“To walk under the branches of a tree that you have planted connects you to the roots of our past and the aspirations of our future,” said the 62-year-old singer and actress.

Another singer with a sense of community in 2007 was Jon Bon Jovi who, as well as participating in various benefit concerts, also worked with Project HOME to revitalize a deteriorated lot in Philadelphia and transform it into homes for fifteen families.

And then there was Shakira, co-founder of the Latin America for Solidarity Fund and Pies Descalzos, who donated $40 million to victims of natural disasters in Peru and Nicaragua, and another $5 million to benefit education programs for children across Latin America.

The California wildfires that ravaged much of the state in November also spawned a spate of celebrity donations, with Linkin Park, the Eagles, and Gwen Stefani all making substantial contributions to both victims and firefighters.

American Idol gave back in April, with two shows that raised over $60 million to benefit organizations funding relief programs in America and Africa, featuring performances by Kelly Clarkson, Madonna, and others. Organized by Simon Cowell, American Idol Gives Back also led to a $100,000 donation by talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

Another talk show host to shine this year was Oprah Winfrey, who opened a state-of-the-art school in South Africa for disadvantaged girls.

“I am creating everything in this school that I would have wanted for myself—so the girls will have the absolute best that my imagination can offer,“ said the 53-year-old, who poured $40 million of her own money into the project.

Brad Pitt took on the mission of rebuilding New Orleans by donating $5 million towards new houses, and also set up the Make It Right Foundation to assist in his work. Meanwhile, his wife Angelina Jolie set out to do what her character Lara Croft does best – save the world. As well as donating $100,000 to build the Duk Lost Boys Medical Clinic in the Sudan in March, Jolie also traveled to Iraq and Syria to raise support for those displaced by war.

Although literally tonnes of articles were written about Jolie’s efforts during 2007, even more was reported on Don Cheadle’s and George Clooney’s work to publicize the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. The stars of Ocean’s Thirteen established a charity for the Sudanese region called Not On Our Watch, and personally raised over $9 million to help those affected by conflict in the region. The pair were awarded a special peace prize by Nobel laureates for their efforts.

And no round up of the year’s events can be complete without mention of Bono, who continued being Bono by doing what Bono does best – raising awareness for the poor, the hungry, the sick, the needy, and the disadvantaged.

We at Look To The Stars would like to wish all of our readers a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year, and we look forward to continuing to bring you celebrity charity news in 2008.

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.

Stars Design Plates For Charity

Fri, 07 Sep 2007 17:51:22 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

For those who want to have dinner with the stars, this could be the next best thing. A selection of dinner plates designed by celebrities are for sale, with proceeds going to charity.

The plates feature designs by David Bowie, George Clooney, Giorgio Armani, Coldplay, Minnie Driver, and Sir Michael Caine, and are part of a fundraising initiative from 21st Century Leaders, a non-profit organization that plans to raise $3 million over three years through its “Whatever It Takes” celebrity-designed merchandise. So far, the organization has raised almost $1.5 million to fund “charitable projects in developing countries, and contribute to the protection of the environment and other causes”.

21st Century Leaders was founded by Charlotte di Vita, MBE, a goodwill ambassador for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund. The 39 year old founded her first charity, Trade plus Aid, in 1992, which has raised over $5 million and helped communities in 21 developing countries to become self-supporting. A desire to do more led di Vita to start Whatever It Takes, a unique charity art project where celebrities donate their own artwork, which is then transferred onto “merchandise with a meaning”.

“It’s 15 minutes of their time to do an artwork,” said di Vita. “And it’s not just for a one-off sale or auction – I can use it to create employment and royalties that will help the charities for years to come.”

Proceeds from the products are distributed to a charity of the designer’s choice, and the dinner plates (which retail for $20) will benefit Oxfam, Save the Children, CARE International, UNHCR, and Anti-Slavery International. Other products available include mugs featuring the designs of Claudia Schiffer, Ewan McGregor, and Nicole Kidman (also retailing for $20), T-shirts designed by the Kaiser Chiefs ($80), shoes designed by Ozzy Osbourne ($80), and wristbands by Joss Stone, Green Day, and Paul McCartney ($6).

All merchandise is available from www.whateverittakes.org.

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 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.

Tony Blair Calls Celebrity Radio Competition for Charity

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 08:06:24 -0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Listeners of UK’s Virgin Radio programme “Who’s Calling Christian?” were amazed when Prime Minister Tony Blair phoned to enter the show’s celebrity call-in competition.

At the end of the three-week-long competition, the audience will vote for its favourite celebrity caller, and the listener who convinced the celebrity to call in will receive £10,000 for himself and £10,000 for his favourite charity.

Graham Marsh, who received a heart transplant in 1999, asked the Prime Minister to make the call, hoping to win the money for the Freeman Heart and Lung Transplant Association and the Tyne Youth and Community Center in northeast England.

During the call, Blair joked that he was mobilizing voters to back him in the competition.

The winner will be announced Nov. 6 on the radio station’s Web site.

Other callers to this competition have included Jack Black, Ben Affleck and comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, who called the station as his character Borat Sagdiyev, a Kazakh TV journalist.

In past competitions, callers have included Ewan McGregor and Steven Spielberg.

Free Screenings For Sick Children

Fri, 17 Feb 2006 14:50:16 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

The Yorkhill Children’s Foundation is raising funds for the UK’s second Medicinema, to be built in the Yorkhill Hospital in Glasgow. The charity needs to raise 300,000GBP, and though they are have already raised a large proportion of the money, they need a bit more help to reach their goal.

Movies can provide distraction and help relieve boredom and stress, but children confined to hospitals do not have the option to go out to the theatre. Medicinema offers sick children and their families the opportunity to enjoy a free film in a state-of-the-art cinema setting with easy access for wheelchairs and beds. Medicinema is supported by Ewan McGregor and Kevin Spacey.

Unexpected Dreams

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 23:17:57 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Fourteen actors have contributed songs to an album benefitting the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s music education programs. The album, “Unexpected Dreams: Songs From The Stars”, features Scarlett Johansson, Ewan McGregor and Jennifer Garner among others.

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