Look To The Stars News: Women's Aid

Keira Knightley Stars In Domestic Violence Campaign

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Actress Keira Knightley stars in the new Women's Aid short called Cut, created for the charity’s fight against domestic violence campaign that launched last week.

The two-minute film is tense from beginning to end. The premise is simple: Knightly comes home from work. But on a darker note, it also portrays what many women endure regularly: coming home from work to an abusive partner. Cut packs a wallop, literally.

“While domestic violence exists in every section of society, we rarely hear about it,” said Knightly in a press release. “We may not think we know someone who has experienced domestic violence, but this does not mean that it is not happening.”

Grateful to have the celebrity involvement, Women’s Aid Chief Executive Nicola Harwin says, “We hope the Women’s Aid campaign will both increase public awareness of domestic violence, letting abused women and their families and friends know that there is help out there, and also raise vital funds for Women’s Aid, to help us to continue in our work.”

Since 1974, Women’s Aid has been providing practical and emotional support to victims of domestic violence. They not only develop awareness campaigns and education programmes, but have also been able to influence laws and policy.

“We will continue to help save lives and keep abused women and children safe until we can put a stop to domestic violence,” said Harwin.

“Domestic violence affects one in four women at some point in their lifetime and kills two women every week,” said Knightley. “Without the services provided by Women’s Aid, many more women could be at risk of being killed, yet without donations the charity may not exist this time next year. Please donate £2 a month to Women’s Aid to help save lives.”

On this movie set, “Isn’t it time someone called cut?”

Elizabeth Hurley Stamps For Charity

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Two postage stamps featuring signed photos of actress and model Elizabeth Hurley have been sold by auction on eBay for over £1,550 (US$2,250).

Both stamps featured pictures of Hurley’s son Damien and are part of a limited-edition Mothers’ Day themed “Smilers” range which also includes photos donated by model Jasmine Guinness. Money from the stamps will go to Women's Aid, a UK-based domestic violence charity that helps up to 250,000 women and children every year.

The campaign – which has already raised over £5000 – aims to raise funds to assist the organization’s 500 local services throughout the UK that work to end domestic violence against women and children. The charity will use the money to help empower women who have been affected by domestic violence, meet the needs of children affected by domestic violence, provide services run by women which are based on listening to survivors, challenge the disadvantages which result from domestic violence, support and reflect diversity and promote equality of opportunity, and promote cohesive inter-agency responses to domestic violence and develop partnership.

Gordon Ramsay Cooks Up A Success For Women's Aid

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A star-studded dinner organised by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay and his wife, Tana, raised money for Women's Aid in London last week.

The 41-year-old chef shared compèring duties with DJ Neil Fox at the black-tie event for the Women’s Aid ACT — Until Women and Children are Safe campaign. Among the 300 guests at Hanover Square in London on Thursday night were the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah – who is a patron of Women’s Aid – as well as Elizabeth Hurley, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, and Trinny Woodall.

Women’s Aid is a national charity in Britain that aims to end domestic violence against women and children. Proceeds from Ramsay’s dinner – an annual event that last year raised over US$400,00 for the charity – will go towards a planned project to improve advice and support for abused women and kids, as well as lobbying for changes in the law to improve the lives of victims.

“We are so grateful to Gordon and Tana Ramsay for generously hosting this wonderful event for the second year,” said Nicola Harwin, Women’s Aid Chief Executive. “This not only raises vital funds for Women’s Aid but also sends out the message that we all need to ACT now to end domestic violence – that is to Admit it’s a problem, Call it by its name and Talk to someone. We desperately need funds to continue in our work to end domestic violence and money raised from this year’s event will allow us to continue in our vital work to end violence against women and children into 2009. Every penny raised tonight will make a real difference to our work and will help us to save lives.”

The sumptuous dinner, catered by Gordon Ramsay, started with a Champagne and caviar reception and canapés, followed by best end of lamb with confit shoulder, spiced aubergine puree and spinach and fondant potato. The guests were then served a milk chocolate, praline and salted caramel parfait for dessert.

“We want to make sure the police, teachers and members of the public are aware of domestic abuse to make sure it does not go unnoticed,” said Harwin. “Women’s Aid has three main aims to help women escape violent relationships — preventing abuse through support and awareness, providing services such as refuges and helplines, and protecting those who manage to break away from their abuser. We help more than 320,000 women each year. With events like this, we hope to [help] more in the future.”

Look To The Stars News: Women's Aid

Keira Knightley Stars In Domestic Violence Campaign

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Elizabeth Hurley Stamps For Charity

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Gordon Ramsay Cooks Up A Success For Women's Aid

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