Look To The Stars News: Joan Collins

LTTS Exclusive - The Caudwell Children Butterfly Ball

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Look To The Stars’ UK Correspondent, Richard Barker, attended the Caudwell Children Ball last weekend and filed this exclusive report.

As a photographer and a journalist, I am fortunate enough to have many unique experiences, and I’m pleased to say that on Friday night was one of the best!

Archant London hosted a Press Ball for Caudwell Children. The Butterfly Ball at the Landmark Hotel in London’s Regent Park was attended by some truly inspiring people. Archant London’s Managing Director, Enzo Testa, welcomed the guests telling them though financial conditions were tough, he was confident that by their very presence, their generosity would produce a wealth of cash for the children, and so it proved.

  Archant London publishes 29 weekly newspapers and 28 local community websites. With this sort of pulling power it’s not surprising that the auction prizes were donated by Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and a one off designer dress from Jenny Packham. The top raffle prize was a diamond encrusted Rotary watch.

  Caudwell Children, founded in 2000 by entrepreneur John Caudwell, has so far raised more then £10 million. Every penny has gone straight to the children! John picked up the tab for the administration, which is one of the reasons the charity was chosen by Enzo Testa.  

He said: "Caudwell Children helps children with terminal illnesses who need support. Every penny we raise goes directly to helping Caudwell do just that. That is why I chose this worthy cause as Archant London’s focus for our Butterfly Ball.

“  To achieve the total, a team from Archant London spent a full year organising and collecting prizes and gifts.  

Actress Lucinda Rhodes and X Factor singer Andy Abraham donated their time and provided the cabaret with popular broadcaster Mike Read hosting the evening. Other celebrities to attend included Miss England 2009 Rachel Christie, Miss Galaxy International 2010 Hayley Mac, Lynne Franks of I’m a Celebrity Get me out of Here fame and leading PR expert, Lisa Voice self made music and property millionaire and girlfriend of the late 50’s rock legend, Billy Fury, Esther McVery presenter, Karen Millen designer and performer Sonique.  

The dress donated by designer Jenny Peckham went for £1,400 and a signed Michael Jackson display containing a platinum disc went for £1,500. Mohamed Ali’s signed boxing trunks were sold for £2,100. The top prize of the night was a lithograph by legendary artist Pablo Picasso from his Sketchbook collection that eventually sold for £3,000.

I sat with Hayley Mac (Miss Galaxy 2010). She told me that it was a pleasure to be supporting such a worthy cause. She’s very passionate about her charity work. Hayley said that she was really pleased that we were raising funds for the kids. She also said that she would love to meet them. We both agreed that there wellbeing is incredibly important.

  Chief Executive of Caudwell Children, Trudi Beswick thanked Enzo Testa and Archant London for their commitment and for organising the event. She also thanked the many sponsors of the evening by highlighting some of the individual cases where the charity has brought life and fulfilled ambitions.  

Many children they help are terribly afflicted by disease and life threatening illnesses, and the charity supplies the means to achieve their ambitions and restore dignity to illness devastated young lives.  

She emphasised that every penny goes to helping them achieve ambitions such as just walking or going on a family holiday.  

She said: “I am looking forward to meeting Daniel. He is only 10 and suffers from Leukaemia. He was not given much hope of survival and indeed suffered a stroke from which he was not expected to live through. But against all the odds Daniel fought back and has survived, and in November his ambition will come true. We are taking him and his family to Disneyland in America. His life expectancy is very short, but we are pleased to help fulfil this determined young man’s wishes.”

  The battle to help these children continues and as Archant London’s chosen charity, readers can make their own donation on www.justgiving.com/archantappeal or by posting a cheque to Archant Appeal, Media House, 539 High Road, Ilford, Essex IG1 1UD. For more details speak to Claire Evans – 020 8477 3939 claire.evans@archant.co.uk

To date Caudwell Children has donated over £10 million to thousands of children with 160 medical conditions. The Charity is committed to changing the lives of children by providing individual donations of specialist equipment, treatment and therapy as well as its annual Destination Dreams holiday for families coping with a child’s terminal illness.

Caudwell Children was registered in March 2000 and is widely recognised as one of the country’s fastest growing children’s charities. Since its inception the charity has doubled every pound raised, achieved through supplier partnerships, which means every pound donated works even harder.

The Charity was founded by entrepreneur, John Caudwell, whose vision was to create a sustainable children’s charity that offered benefactors’ transparency and piece of mind that 100% of their donation was being used to directly change children’s lives.

By donating the cost of the Charity’s annual management and administration overheads, John has guaranteed an efficient way for individuals and businesses to change the lives of thousands of sick and disabled children living in the UK.

John Caudwell remains the Charity’s largest benefactor and sits as Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

The Charity’s ambassadors include Hollywood actress and author, Joan Collins, actress Elizabeth Hurley, Rod and Penny Stewart, Bruce Forsyth and singer Robbie Williams.

Stars Sign Mini For British Forces Morale

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A car signed by some of Britain’s favorite stars will go up for auction at Bonhams Auction House tonight, July 3, to raise money for the British Forces Foundation’s Lap of Honour charity, which aims to boost morale in Britiain’s Armed Forces.

For the last year, the Mini cooper – adorned with a Union Jack on the roof – has been traveling around Britain, gathering autographs from well-known faces such as Michael Caine, Richard Branson, Sienna Miller, Simon Cowell, Terry Wogan, Joan Collins, Roger Moore, Michael Parkinson, Cliff Richard, Ranulph Fiennes, Tom Jones, Hugh Grant, Judi Dench, James Blunt, Katherine Jenkins, Jackie Stewart, Rod Stewart, Lewis Hamilton, Kate Moss, Joe Calzaghe, Elton John, David Beckham, Magaret Thatcher, Eric Clapton, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, Joanna Lumley, Helen Mirren, Gordon Brown, Paul McCartney and many more.

“This fantastic car has been on an amazing journey during our tenth anniversary year,” said Mark Cann, director of the BFF. “It will be a unique addition to any car collection and we’re delighted that Bonhams offered so generously to help us achieve the best bid and raise as much money as we can. The very act of demonstrating support will send a clear message of solidarity to those on the frontline, which will in itself be a significant boost to their morale.”

Proceeds will go to the well-being and esprit de corps of all serving personnel.

To find out more, click here.

Rod Stewart To Headline Butterfly Ball

Wed, 06 May 2009 13:29:00 -0000

A host of celebrity guests are slated to attend the glamorous Butterfly Ball in London this month, raising money for sick and disabled children in the UK.

Guests including the Charity’s Ambassador, Elizabeth Hurley, Danny Cipriani, Kelly Brook, Rachel Stevens, Ronan Keating and Bruce Forsyth are all expected to attend the annual Caudwell Children fundraiser.

Caudwell Children is the charity founded by Staffordshire entrepreneur-turned-philanthropist, John Caudwell, who personally funds all of the Charity’s administration and management costs, allowing every penny raised to be donated directly to the children.

In previous years, the annual fundraising event has been headlined by global superstars including Tina Turner and Whitney Houston, with this year being no different, as guests are set to enjoy an exclusive performance from British singer songwriter, Rod Stewart.

The generous singer, famed for hits including Maggie May, You Wear It Well and Sailing, has agreed to donate his appearance and perform at the ‘Butterfly Ball’ after learning about the work of the charity.

The exclusive performance at London’s Battersea Evolution on May 14th, will be in front of an impressive guest list of celebrities and charity supporters and will be the first performance in England by Stewart since appearing at the Princess Diana memorial concert at Wembley Stadium in 2007.

The high-profile fundraising event has become a landmark feature on the London social calendar, and has been successful in raising millions to provide vital specialist equipment, treatments and therapy for thousands of sick and disabled children living in the UK.

Mr Caudwell commented; “The Butterfly Ball is our flagship fundraising event and we are delighted so many guests have agreed to support us once again. It is set to be yet another electrifying night and the money raised will all go to support children who desperately need our help.”

In 2008 celebrity guests including Joan Collins, Buzz Aldrin, Kelly Rowland, Louis Walsh and David Furnish attended what is fast becoming the most anticipated charity event of the year and joined in raising a staggering £1.5million for the charity.

Caudwell Children is a UK charity based in Staffordshire that provides direct donations of treatments, therapies and specialist equipment throughout the UK. To date the charity has donated over £10 million to thousands of children with over 160 different medical conditions.

Details about the glamorous event are available by visiting www.caudwellchildrenbutterflyball.co.uk or by calling the charity on 01782 600113.

About The Butterfly Ball
Earlier this year Caudwell Children announced that their flagship fundraising event, formerly known as ‘The Legends Ball’ and ‘The Bedrock Ball’, had been renamed ‘The Butterfly Ball’ in honour of charity beneficiary, 8-year-old Tilly Griffiths who has Spinal Muscular Atrophy, and raised thousands of pounds for the charity by auctioning a handmade picture. It was at the 2008 Battersea event that Tilly Griffiths presented her magical handmade picture depicting the Caudwell Children mascot releasing butterflies into the air. The artwork was then auctioned in front of the 900 guests, touching the hearts of the audience and raising a staggering £340,000.

About Caudwell Children
To date Caudwell Children has donated over £10 million to thousands of children with 160 medical conditions

Founder and Chairman John Caudwell has been committed to raising vitally needed funds for children in desperate need since the mid 1990s. Caudwell Children was registered in March 2000 is widely recognised as one of the country’s fastest growing children’s charities. In 2007 the charity doubled every pound raised, achieved through partnerships, negotiation and intangible income, which means every pound donated works even harder. What makes the charity so unique is that all the management and administration costs are covered by John meaning every penny raised can go directly to the cause.

Caudwell Children pledges to continue to make donations to specific child cases of sickness, specialist medical requirements and dying wish holidays and to buy or build a property to help aid children/children’s charities.

Joan Collins Becomes Charity Ambassador

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Actress Joan Collins has become the new ambassador for a British charity that focuses on donations to special children for medical treatment, therapy, specialized equipment, and dying wish holidays.

The 75-year-old star of Dynasty and author of 13 best-selling novels and self-help books will join Elizabeth Hurley as an ambassador for Caudwell Children, a charity established in 2000 by entrepreneur John Caudwell.

“John and his charity are doing wonderful things to help improve the lives of children everywhere,” said Collins. “I’m proud to be named as an ambassador of the charity and wholeheartedly lend my support to this worthy cause.”

The star is a regular attendee of the charity’s annual Legends Ball, and last year offered an exclusive auction prize of dinner with one of her fans at the event. But when bidding became heated and two rival fans were locked in battle over the prize, the screen legend offered both men the opportunity to dine with her, raising £200,000 for the charity.

“Joan is truly a British icon and we are delighted to be able to name her as one of the charity’s ambassadors,” said Trudi Beswick, CEO of Caudwell Children. “With the support of well-known personalities such as Joan and Elizabeth, the charity can continue to grow and help as many children as possible.”

The next Legends Ball – featuring Rod Stewart and Alan Carr – will take place in London on May 14.

Alan Carr To Join Rod Stewart At Charity Ball

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Global superstar, Rod Stewart, has been confirmed as the headline act at an annual fundraising event for sick and disabled children, and comedians Justin Lee Collins and Alan Carr have been confirmed as MCs for the night.

The generous singer, famed for hits including Maggie May, You Wear It Well and Sailing, has agreed to donate his appearance and perform at the Caudwell Children ‘Butterfly Ball’ in May after learning about the work of the Charity.

The exclusive performance at London’s Battersea Evolution on May 14, will be in front of an impressive guest list of celebrities and charity supporters and will be the first performance in England by Stewart since appearing at the Princess Diana memorial concert at Wembley Stadium in 2007.

Stewart is the latest superstar to perform at the high profile event, which raises funds to provide vital specialist equipment, treatments and therapy for sick and disabled children living in the UK. Founded by successful entrepreneur-turned-philanthropist, John Caudwell, the Charity has donated over £9million and helped change the lives of thousands of children across the UK.

Trudi Beswick, CEO of Caudwell Children, said: "Rod Stewart is without doubt one of the most influential performers of a generation, totally unique and still one of the World’s top entertainers. We are thrilled that Rod has confirmed as our headline act and that he has kindly donated his time to the Charity, it is set to be an electrifying night and the money raised will all go to support children who desperately need our help.

“Justin and Alan are a great addition to our line-up; while the reason we stage this event is to raise vital funds for the charity, we aim to provide our guests with a truly memorable experience and they will definitely help us to achieve that.”

Stewart’s career began in the 60’s when he sung with bands including The Jeff Beck Group and The Faces, but it was as a solo artist that Stewart gained international acclaim making him one of the biggest selling artists of all time. His distinctive raspy voice and emotive song writing secured him an impressive six consecutive UK number one albums and total of 62 hit UK singles. His latest studio album, Still the Same…Great Rock Classics of Our Time, was released in 2006 and went straight to Number 1 in the US Billboard charts.

By performing at the Butterfly Ball in May, Stewart joins the likes of Whitney Houston and Tina Turner, who have both previously entertained the audience of influential entrepreneurs, corporate partners and international celebrities at the glamorous fundraiser.

Caudwell Children is a national charity based in Staffordshire that provides direct donations of treatments, therapies and specialist equipment throughout the UK. To date the charity has donated over £9 million to thousands of children with over 160 different medical conditions.

The Charity is unique in that all the management and administration costs are covered by its founder and Chairman, John Caudwell, meaning every penny raised goes directly to the cause.

Details about the glamorous event and ticket details are available by visiting www.caudwellchildrenbutterflyball.co.uk or by calling the Charity on 01782 600113.

Stars Heal Patients With A Kiss

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Marie Gorrettie

Medicinema is a registered charity that has partnered with the Health Sector and the Film Industry, installing state-of-the-art cinemas on site in hospitals around the United Kingdom.

By creating purpose built cinemas in hospitals, Medicinema provides a much needed escape for the patients – it’s a welcome break from the hospital ward. Each cinema is specially designed to cater for beds and wheel chairs and nursing staff on duty throughout every Medicinema screening.

With nurses instead of usherettes, Medicinema harnesses the magic of the Silver Screen to help enrich the quality of life for patients. By screening the latest releases for patients young and old – including those in beds and on wheelchairs – patients and their families are able to escape the reality of hospital life.

As the lights dim and the film starts, with the big screen filled and Dolby Surround sound bursting into life, patients can be forgiven for thinking they are spending a night in the West End – apart from the occasional bleep of a patient’s monitor, you could be in a cinema!

Everyone needs a little escapism in their lives, especially if they’re in hospital. There is often not very much to look forward to so a visit to the cinema can give a much-needed boost to the spirits, providing the sort of family outing that is otherwise difficult in hospital. With the help and active support of the leading film distributors, Medicinema screens a wide variety of feature films from action and adventure to romantic comedies. Some films are even screened to Medicinema audiences before they go on general release.

As part of a new initiative, stars of the Silver Screen have donated kisses to celebrate ten years of Medicinema to help enhance therapeutic care for patients in hospitals around UK. To mark their 10th Anniversary, MediCinema is auctioning the HEALED WITH A KISS COLLECTION. The collection contains over 50 original signed lip prints from some of the biggest names in the Film Industry. The following are the stars who have donated Healed With A Kiss Lip Prints to help bring magic of the Silver Screen to hospital patients across UK: Madonna, Catherine Zeta Jones, Dame Helen Mirren, Sigourney Weaver, Ewan McGregor, Kate Winslet, John Hurt, Liam Neeson, Keira Knightley, Helena Bonham Carter, Dame Judi Dench, Joan Collins, Glenn Close, Shirley MacLaine, Dame Diana Rigg, Kate Beckinsale, Thandie Newton, Nickolas Grace, Tim Roth, Jeremy Irons, Ben Stiller, Jeff Goldblum, Jim Broadbent, Honor Blackman, John Travolta, Claire Bloom, Martine McCutcheon, Greta Scacchi, Saffron Burrows, Geraldine Chaplin, Mariella Frostrup, Juliet Stevenson, Robbie Coltrane, Zoë Wanamaker, Cathy Tyson, Jason Isaacs, Anthony Andrews, Tommy Steele, Mark Addy, Kenneth Branagh, Alice Eve, and Dwayne Johnson.

The Auction party will be held in April 2009 and the complete Healed With A Kiss collection will be auctioned at the Medicinema Private Auction Party at The Movieunm, London’s biggest Film Memorabilia Museum.

The Healed With A Kiss Auction party will offer you the opportunity to own these highly collectable pieces of film memorabilia and the chance to rub shoulders with Movers and Shakers of the film industry. Hugh Edmeades, Christie’s International Auctioneer, will chair the auction in support of MediCinema. An exclusive drinks reception, live entertainment and a private tour will be followed by the auction of the healed with a kiss collection in support of MediCinema.

Here are some of the quotes from patients and their families whom MediCinema has touched:

“Really happy at the thought that I was not going to have to spend an evening on the ward, staring at a blank wall with no neighbours and chewing my lips to avoid being in pain”. Niamh.

“I completely forgot that I was in hospital, and that I had loads of needles in my arm, and when the film ended I thought “right, time to go home; and it was only when the lights came back on and I saw all the other beds and steelchairs that I remembered that I was in hospital”. Jesica, St Thomas patient.

If you would like to Bid for Original Signed Lip prints from the Stars of the Silver Screen and attend the Auction Party and bid in person please contact MediCinema: Tel:+44(0) 20 7188 3697 or email medicinema@gstt.nhs.uk.

If a celebrity lip print has caught your eye, you can make an advance bid before attending the Auction event in writing, on line or by telephone.

If you are unable to attend the Auction Party in person, you can secure an original signed lip print by placing “ABSENTEE” Bid, in writing, on line or by telephone. Please register your bid/s in the Healed with a Kiss Auction by contacting medicinema@gsst.nhs.uk or telephoning +44 (0) 20 7188 3697.

Once you have registered interest in placing an “Absentee” or advance bid, you will be contacted to confirm your bid and contact details.

For more information about the Auction Party please contact MediCinema on +44 (0) 20 7188 3697 or email medicinema@gstt.nhs.uk.

Stars Sign Valentine's Ecards To Beat Breast Cancer

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Fancy getting a Valentine’s card from someone famous this year? The Pink Rose Valentine’s Appeal can organize it for you.

Olivia Newton-John, Joan Collins, Rebecca Mader, Stephen Fry and Pat Sharp have all contributed their signatures to special Valentine’s Day ecards to raise money for research into Breast Cancer.

Someone in the world is diagnosed with breast cancer every 30 seconds, but scientists at the Cambridge Breast Cancer Research Unit – whose work will be supported by funds from the appeal – are at the forefront of the battle against the disease.

“The Pink Rose Valentine’s Appeal will support these programs and will create research opportunities for the breast cancer doctors of the future – and with the help of the donations, we can make a significant difference to how we treat and prevent this disease,” said Professor Carlos Caldas, who runs the Breast Cancer Research Unit

As well as the ecards, the appeal is also encouraging people to host a dinner, drinks evening, singles night or other function and ask their guests to make a donation to the cause.

“It’s everyone’s nightmare to hear that you have cancer, but I got through it,” said Newton-John at the launch of the appeal. “I think a positive attitude is extremely important. It’s not a death sentence any more, and with early detection you have a much better chance of survival.”

The ecards cost £2 to send, and all proceeds will go directly to the appeal. They can be viewed and sent via the Pink Rose Appeal website.

Get Ready For The Carousel Of Hope This Weekend

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The annual Carousel of Hope Gala will take place this weekend to raise money for the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes.

Presented by Jay Leno, the gala will take place at the Beverly Hilton on Saturday, October 25, and will honor Denzel Washington for his charity work.

This year celebrates 30 years of helping children with diabetes through the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes. Held every two years, this is the 18th Carousel of Hope. From its inception in 1978, the Ball has raised over $70 million.

The gala will feature performances from Josh Groban, the Jonas Brothers, Katharine McPhee and many more under the music direction of David Foster. The guest list is expected to be huge, with stars such as Tom Arnold, Melanie Griffith & Antonio Banderas, Halle Berry, Valerie Bertinelli, Lara Flynn Boyle, Bo Derek, Geena Davis, Daisy Fuentes, Selena Gomez, Kelsey Grammar, Tom Hanks, Taraji P. Henson, Anjelica Huston, Magic Johnson, Dr. Phil McGraw, Holly Robinson-Peete & Rodney Peete, Nicole Richie, Jane Seymour, Nicollette Sheridan, Forest Whitaker and James Woods all expected to attend. Clive Davis, Quincy Jones and Sidney Poitier will take part in Denzel Washington’s presentation.

The evening will feature a silent auction that includes an array of eco-friendly shirts donated by Guess and signed by Jason Bateman, Halle Berry, Robert DeNiro, Clint Eastwood, Will Ferrell, Harrison Ford, Cuba Gooding Jr., Whitney Houston, Scarlett Johansson, Jason Lee, Jared Leto, Bill Maher, Steve Martin, Jack Nicholson, Ray Romano, Maria Shriver & Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rod Stewart, Usher and many more. There will also be handbags signed by Joan Collins, Courteney Cox, Cindy Crawford, Dakota Fanning, Mariska Hargitay, Fergie, Susan Sarandon, Britney Spears and Racquel Welch, as well as items from Trace Adkins, P. Diddy, Marcia Cross, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Andie MacDowell, Alyssa Milano, Eva Longoria, Dolly Parton, Priscilla Presley, Denise Richards, Joel Madden, Sharon Stone, John Travolta, Carrie Underwood and many more.

Proceeds from the gala will benefit clinical care and research at the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes (BDC) where over 5,000 children and young adults receive specialized care.

World Magic Awards To Feed The Children

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

You can help make the problem of starving children disappear by attending the 2008 World Magic Awards this Saturday, October 11.

Hosted by Neil Patrick Harris at the Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, the show will benefit Feed the Children, an organization that provides food, medicine, clothing and other necessities to individuals, children and families who lack these essentials due to famine, war, poverty, or natural disaster.

Featuring a host of the world’s best magicians – including Hans Klok – the World Magic Awards will attract John Schneider, Corbin Bernsen, Melora Hardin, Jonathan Schaech, Debbie Matenopolous, Ernie Hudson, Buzz Aldrin, Cristian de la Fuente, Ashley Jones and many others.

Last year’s show was hosted by Roger Moore and was attended by Joan Collins, Pamela Anderson, Marla Maples, John Schneider, Robert Vaughn, and Eric Roberts.

More information about the event – which has an organizing committee that includes Tony Hawk, Vince Gill, Adrian Paul, Montel Williams, Michael Caine, Pat Boone, Monique Coleman, and Jason Alexander – can be found at www.worldmagicawards.com.

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.

Orlando And Bono Attend Gorbachev Gala

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:36:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Former Soviet Union president Mikhail Gorbachev hosted a glittering charity gala at Hampton Court on Saturday night that saw a stunning array of celebrities show up to support the fight against cancer in children.

Kate Beckinsale, Orlando Bloom, Tracey Emin, Petra Nemcova, Kevin Spacey and Joan Collins were just some of the stars that turned out for the dinner, auction and dance to raise money for the Raisa Gorbachev Foundation – a charity established by Mr Gorbachev following the death of his wife in 1999.

A three course dinner was followed by an impressive selection of items up for auction, including a private night at Annabel’s nightclub in Mayfair for 160 people, clothes from designer Giles Deacon, a new Bentley Continental Flying Spur, and a private high-speed drive with British Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton.

This was followed by a moving speech made by Hugh Grant, whose mother died from cancer in 2001, and a special performance from Bono.

“We are delighted Hugh is so involved this year,” said one of the organizers. “He is a very important part of the charity. For him to stand up and talk about his late mother is very special. It’s a night where people really do go to incredible lengths to raise money for an amazingly worthwhile charity.”

Last year’s Gala was also an exciting event.

Bid Now For Christmas Gifts

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 11:21:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The countdown to Christmas has begun, and celebrities are doing their best to make holiday shopping easy this year. Several charity auctions have already kicked off to raise money for good causes, including one that may be eBay’s largest sale of celebrity items… ever!

The BID 2 BEAT AIDS online auction will open on December 1, World AIDS Day, and will feature over 1000 specially signed items, ranging from posters to iPods. The annual auction will raise money for LIFEbeat, the music industry’s AIDS fundraising and service charity, and in the past has raised up to $175,000.

The array of memorabilia up for sale this year is simply colossal, with perhaps the most interesting items being a series of “Lend a Hand to LIFEbeat” cards that feature the handprints of over 100 celebrities. Stars such as Britney Spears, Jack Black, and Kathy Griffin traced around the outlines of their hands and decorated their artworks for the auction, and the finished products will make a unique addition to any Christmas stocking.

Also included in the auction is a selection of signed musical instruments. Rapper 50 Cent has donated the tambourines he used during his performance at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, and Metallica and the Foo Fighters have both donated guitars. There are also over 200 official RIAA gold and platinum record awards up for sale, from artists such as Annie Lennox, Jon Bon Jovi, Michael Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, and Green Day. Rare tour crew jackets from Guns N Roses, Cher, George Michael, and Prince are also available.

There are a stack of autographed CDs and DVDs on offer in the auction, from Mariah Carey, Elton John, Rihanna, Fall Out Boy, Maroon 5, Amy Winehouse, and Val Kilmer, as well as books signed by Madonna, Bill Clinton, Rosie O’Donnell, Martha Stewart, Stephen Colbert, and Ethan Hawke. Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Elijah Wood, and Usher have all signed posters for the auction.

For those people after something a little different, the auction also includes an iPod designed by Yoko Ono, a box of cereal signed by Will Ferrell, Borat’s hat signed by Sacha Baron Cohen, and a Spiderman action figure autographed by Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst.

And if nothing mentioned so far whets your appetite, there are also signed items from Jessica Biel, Jessica Alba, Nelly, Joan Collins, John Travolta, Kanye West, The Cure, Jay-Z, Cameron Diaz, Victoria Beckham, Robin Williams, Hilary Duff, Jason Alexander, Jack Nicholson, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Adam Sandler, John Legend, Jessica Simpson, Whoopi Goldberg, Aerosmith, Denzel Washington, Good Charlotte, James Blunt, Jeremy Piven, Matt Damon, Heath Ledger, Norah Jones, Razorlight, Wyclef Jean, and many more… far too many to list here.

More information and a full list of items can be found at www.bid2beataids.com.

As if this wasn’t enough choice for Christmas shoppers, there are also several other auctions and events on the go at the moment. The biggest of these is the 10th Annual Collaborating For A Cure Benefit Dinner and Auction, a massive black tie gala to be held on November 29. It also happens to be one of the highest grossing charity events held every year in New York, and last year raised over $4 million for the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation, a non-profit organization that has provided over $55 million in grants to cancer research, and has been instrumental in the development of new cancer drugs.

The gala dinner and live auction will be held at the 69th Regiment Armory on Lexington Avenue, New York City, and over 1200 guests are expected to attend. The host for the evening is Chevy Chase, and attendees will be treated to a very special performance by Glenn Frey and Joe Walsh, members of 70’s rock group, the Eagles.

Selected items up for auction on the night as well as online include dinner with Chevy Chase, the chance to play tennis with Andre Agassi, and a meet and greet with Aerosmith.

More information can be found at www.charitybuzz.com.

Also on the Charitybuzz website is an auction to raise funding for Stand Up For A Cure, an organization dedicated to lung cancer research and awareness.

The auction runs from November 28 until December 12, and features unique items such as the chance to have Andrea Bocelli perform in your own home, the opportunity to have Patti LaBelle host your cocktail party, and VIP tickets to see Céline Dion at Madison Square Gardens.

And if you still can’t find a suitable gift, have a look at the Have A Heart Auction on Charitybuzz. All proceeds from the auction, which features the chance to meet Avril Lavigne, a copy of “An Inconvenient Truth” signed by Al Gore, and a “Godfather II” DVD signed by Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro, will benefit HEART, an organization that aims to foster compassion and respect for all living beings.

But you have to be in quick, as the auction ends on November 29.

A Little "Moore" For Charity

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 11:29:52 -0000

Written by Crystal A. Johnson

What more could Bond star Sir Roger Moore do than receive a star on the walk of fame this week? The answer would be, host one of the biggest charity events of the weekend, the World Magic Awards on Saturday October, 13th.

The charity event benefitted the Feed the Children organization. Sir Roger was not the only the star on the scene to support the event. The legendary scene stealer Joan Collins was there as well as blonde bombshell Pamela Anderson, magician Hans Klok, Donald Trump’s ex-wife Marla Maples, John Schneider, Robert Vaughn, Eric Roberts and many more. Famous magicians from around the world put on quite a show.

This magical event will be televised in December. Proceeds from the network licensing fee and sponsorships will be going to Feed the Children organization. The mission is to use magic to make a happy and healthier world for children.

Look To The Stars News: Joan Collins

LTTS Exclusive - The Caudwell Children Butterfly Ball

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