Look To The Stars News: War Child

Former Presidents Join With Royalty For Celebrity Charity Day

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:00:00 +0000

BGC Partners Inc, a leading global brokerage company primarily servicing the wholesale financial markets, has announced that, together with Cantor Fitzgerald, it raised approximately $12 million globally at their Annual Charity Day on Monday, September 12, 2011.

Every year, BGC and Cantor Fitzgerald donate 100% of their global revenues on the day to more than 75 charities around the world by hosting charities and celebrity ambassadors at their offices in commemoration of the 658 employees we lost in the World Trade Center attacks. The guests joined licensed brokers to conduct transactions with BGC and Cantor Fitzgerald clients. Including today, Charity Day has raised approximately $77 million globally.

BGC Partners was honored to be joined by many distinguished guests including President George W. Bush and President Bill Clinton in New York and His Royal Highness Prince Harry in London. Prince Harry broke the world record set by his brother HRH Prince William for the largest foreign currency trade when he closed a foreign exchange deal worth euro 18 billion. Prince Harry, who attended on behalf of Sentebale, the charity he founded to support vulnerable children and orphans in Lesotho, completed the deal between Barclays London and a European counter-party based on projected currency values between the 13th and 14th September.

Mark Ronson To Host Brit Awards Charity Party

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Superstar DJ Mark Ronson will host this year’s War Child Brit Awards afterparty in London on February 15.

Ronson will be joined by special guests during the show – to be held at Indigo2, next door to the Brit Awards’ O2 Arena venue – and previous years have seen performances by Coldplay, Bono, The Killers, Kasabian and Take That’s Gary Barlow.

“Being asked to play the War Child post-Brits show is such a giant honor,” says Ronson. "And since I’m guilty of YouTubing the 2009 clip of Coldplay and Gary Barlow doing “Back For Good” for War Child at least 180 times, I know we better pull off some magical moments."

Massive Attack To Release Charity EP For War Child

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 13:00:00 +0000

British band Massive Attack will release a new EP this week in aid of War Child.

“[War Child does] a lot of great work in different territories which aren’t really that newsworthy anymore maybe,” Massive Attack’s Robert ‘3D’ Del Naja explained to BBC’6 Music. “When the glare of the camera is gone and the focus isn’t on that place obviously other people need to step in and help work on the ground with the kids out there, who are still in really awful environments and predicaments.”

The new EP will be titled Atlas Air. Limited to just 1,000 copies worldwide, this beautifully presented and individually numbered vinyl and art edition has been crafted by The Vinyl Factory, working in close collaboration with Massive’s Robert del Naja.

Damien Hirst Paints Guitar For Charity

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Canadian guitar-maker Carparelli has created a series of 10 guitars, each painted by well known artists, to be auctioned off to raise money for 10 charities.

The first of these unique guitars – to be auctioned later this year by Christies – was painted by British artist Damien Hirst. The guitar is expected to fetch close to $100,000 to benefit the War Child charity.

Duran Duran And Carla Bruni Join Charity Tribute To David Bowie

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Duran Duran and Carla Bruni are just two of the performers who have donated songs to a new tribute album to David Bowie to raise money for War Child.

The album – to be called We Were So Turned On – will be released on October 11, and will raise funds for War Child’s work protecting children who live in the world’s most dangerous war zones.

The two disc set list is as follows:

Tinchy Stryder To Perform For Alicia Keys' Charity

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:00:00 +0000

Killing two birds with one stone hasn’t been difficult for London-based rapper Tinchy Stryder, who collaborated with 16 artists in the 2009 single I Got Soul to raise money for War Child UK. Once again combining his passion for music and charity, it has been announced that Stryder will headline a charity gig on November 4 at London’s O2 Shepherds Bush Empire.

Alicia Keys, as co-founder and global ambassador of Keep A Child Alive, a charity of seven years, participates by inviting her fellow musicians to hold charity concerts to benefit children and families who have been affected by HIV/AIDS. 33.4 million people worldwide are infected with

HIV/AIDS and 28 million have died from HIV/AIDS. Keep a Child Alive has provided clinics and medical services in India, South Africa, Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya and practices anti-retroviral therapy, which is the treatment for HIV patients.

The Best Of Brits For Charity

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 11:30:00 +0000

An celebrity charity auction is presently being held on eBay benefiting the War Child charity.

This auction, titled the “Best of Brits Auction,” begins on March 25th and will last until April 4th. The items featured in this auction include valuable memorabilia from award winning British music artists including Lily Allen, JLS, and Kasabian. All of these items come with certificates of authentication to assure the bidders that these items are credible.

Among these coveted items are eight Silver Cross prams and various stage costumes, which were used on stage during a recent performance by award winning music artist Lily Allen. The Silver Cross prams, which usually are marketed for approximately £1,000, are used by members of the royal family, and celebrities such as Angelina Jolie and Nicole Kidman.

Lily Allen To Sell Prams For Charity

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 11:10:00 +0000

British recording artist, talk show host, and actress Lily Allen is selling prams from one of her performances to raise money for charity.

The ultra-posh Silver Cross Balmoral prams, which were wheeled around on stage during one of Allen’ recent performances, will be sold off to raise cash for the star’s chosen charity, War Child.

The high-end prams usually fetch close to £1,000 and are described as “the pram of choice for royals and celebrities alike for over 100 years.”

Matt Damon Joins Entourage For Charity

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Matt Damon will make a cameo appearance on the latest season of Entourage to promote a charity he is involved with.

“It wasn’t hard to get him,” Entourage executive producer Doug Elin told TV Guide. “Matt came on the phone with me and wanted to do something that focused on his charity, ONEXONE, which helps kids all over the world.”

Damon will join NBA star LeBron James in the episode, which features Damon forcing Adrian Grenier’s character to donate more to the charity than he intended to.

War Child Album Cover Artwork To Be Auctioned

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Artist John Squire’s artwork for the new War Child Heroes compilation is to be auctioned off for the charity.

The former Stone Roses guitarist has donated the image for the online auction on eBay.

“For me the appeal of War Child is pretty simple, they help the hungry, the displaced and the traumatised children in certain war zones to deal with that situation and they involve them in deciding how that help is organised,” he said. “Anything I can do to support them is no trouble at all.”

Coldplay Joined By Bono For Charity Gig

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 15:00:00 +0000

After attending the annual Brit Awards in London last night, Coldplay raced across town to play a special charity gig with some very special guests.

The British band joined The Killers and members of U2 for a concert at O2 Shepherds Bush Empire to benefit War Child.

The concert kicked off with a loud and exquisitely played set from The Killers, who took the crowd through renditions of songs such as Spaceman and Human. Then it was Coldplay’s turn, who weaved songs from their entire back catalogue into a seamless set.

Coldplay Join The Killers For War Child Gig

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Rockers The Killers are to join Coldplay on stage for a special charity concert.

The exclusive gig will celebrate the launch of Heroes, the new album that aims to raise money for War Child and features a series of once-in-a-lifetime collaborations between some of the best known names in the music world and up-and-coming stars – a concept that mirrors one of the intrinsic aims of War Child’s worldwide efforts in war zones across the world – to place faith in the next generation.

The concert will take place at the newly renamed O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London on February 18 in front of 2,000 fans. Tickets to the event are £50 and will be available via a lottery system. To enter the lottery, you will need to register your details and registration will commence at 9am on Friday 30th January.

Lily Allen To Go Abroad With War Child

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:00:00 +0000

British singer Lily Allen has announced her plans to travel overseas for charity and explained why.

“I sometimes feel like my life is a bit empty – as ridiculous as that sounds to some people, a bit vacuous,” she told Q Radio host Samanthi. "It is pop music and people do talk about it too much and sometimes I feel like I want to have a bit more substance in my life.

“I am going to be going to Afghanistan or the Congo in a few weeks to help War Child. They want me to go there and see how the money I have earned for them in the past is being used. And that is the stuff I get really excited about.”

Springsteen Chooses Rockers For Charity Album

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 12:30:00 +0000

The long-delayed Heroes charity album will finally get its release in February, and anticipation is already high from music fans and musicians alike.

“We’d already done ‘Atlantic City’ at a charity benefit, so we kind of had an arrangement worked up, so we decided to record that,” Craig Finn, lead singer with The Hold Steady told XFM radio after Bruce Springsteen chose the Brooklyn-based band to cover his song for Heroes. “It’s a pretty fun song, and I’m pretty happy with our version of it. We’ve been compared to Bruce Springsteen a lot, and he is a hero to all of us. It’s flattering that he’d think of us, given the choice. We hope our version of the song conveys the respect we have for him as an artist.”

The album will raise money for War Child, and features a series of once-in-a-lifetime collaborations between some of the best known names in the music world and up-and-coming stars – a concept that mirrors one of the intrinsic aims of War Child’s worldwide efforts in war zones across the world – to place faith in the next generation. Stars such as Sir Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, and Brian Wilson have selected one of their best-known classic songs and nominated a new artist to record a cover of the track. Artists taking part include Beck, who will cover Dylan’s Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat; Rufus Wainwright, who will perform a medley from Wilson’s Smile; and The Kooks, who will cover The Kinks’ Victoria.

Damien Hirst Doodles For MRI Scanner

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:00:00 +0000

British artist Damien Hirst has donated three sketches to a charity auction to raise money for the New Manchester Children’s Hospital.

The drawings – which are expected to raise US$3,500 each – feature a shark, a skull, and a butterfly. They will be auctioned at the Buy Art Fair, to be held at Manchester’s Urbis centre from Thursday to Sunday, and will raise money for the Five Stars Scanner Appeal – a campaign aiming to raise US$1.7 million for an MRI scanner for the hospital.

Boxer Ricky Hatton and Rocky Horror Picture Show creator Richard O’Brien have also donated drawings and doodles to be auctioned.

Musicians Band Together To Make Signs

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:00:00 +0000

Michael Stipe, Jarvis Cocker, Death Cab for Cutie and OK Go are some of the musicians who have banded together for a new charity auction sponsored by Under The Radar Magazine.

The bands have created signs and banners using black paint on white card to raise money for War Child. Most of the signs display the musicians’ political commentary and slogans – such as OK Go’s They Bank on Your Apathy, Chuck D’s Fight the Power ‘Of Course’, and Michael Stipe’s Things I Hate: Gutless Puff Adder Journalists. However, others display more a individual style – such as Supergrass’ Dolphins Are Not Just Sex Objects and Peter Morén’s Down With Whistling.

The auction runs until October 7, and can be accessed through eBay.

Singers Cover Heroes For War Child

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 12:30:00 +0000

War Child has announced the release of their biggest and most ambitious album to date: Heroes.

The album – to be released on November 24 – will raise money for the charity, which works to help children around the world affected by war. It will feature a series of once-in-a-lifetime collaborations between some of the best known names in the music world and up-and-coming stars – a concept that mirrors one of the intrinsic aims of War Child’s worldwide efforts in war zones across the world – to place faith in the next generation.

The idea behind the project is to have stars such as Sir Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, and Brian Wilson select one of their best-known classic songs and nominate a new artist to record a cover of the track.

Matt Damon Hosts ONE X ONE Awards

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:30:00 +0000

Matt Damon returned to Toronto on Monday to host his third consecutive Difference Awards ceremony for ONEXONE.

Over 500 guest attended the gala, which featured performances from Wyclef Jean, John Legend, Nikki Yanofsky, and the African Children’s Choir.

ONEXONE is a non-profit organization that supports children in Canada and abroad. Established less than four years ago by Joelle Adler, it has already raised over $5 million and created partnerships with major corporations and foundations, such as H2O Africa, the Yéle Haiti Foundation, Millennium Promise, War Child and Spread the Net.

Matt Damon Returns For ONE X ONE

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:30:00 +0000

For the third year in a row, Matt Damon will host ONEXONE’s annual charity benefit gala, where celebrities and activists will gather for an evening of musical performances, words from key speakers, fundraising and entertainment.

ONEXONE’s Difference Awards will also be presented at the gala, recognizing individuals for their extraordinary efforts in fighting child poverty and suffering. One of last year’s honorees, Wyclef Jean, is returning this year as musical director and performer. Other entertainment will include John Legend and the African Children’s Choir, which is raising awareness of the needs of Africa’s orphans and destitute children.

A fairly young organization, ONEXONE raises millions of dollars each year for projects within Canada and abroad for partners such as H2O Africa, the Yéle Haiti Foundation, Millennium Promise, War Child and Spread the Net to “directly impact children in need around the world – one by one.”

Girls Aloud Show Their Humanitarian Side

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:30:00 +0000

A special auction on eBay last week helped raise more than $18,000 for children’s charity War Child.

A host of celebrities, including Girls Aloud and Keane, donated items for a special celebrity auction for the charity, which raises money to support children acutely affected by conflict in some of the world’s most dangerous war zones.

A number of items at the auction gained special attention, including a pair of signed Spin paintings by Damien Hirst that sold for around $8,000 each. A pair of shoes donated by Keane vocalist Tom Chaplin sold for $900, and a painting by Girls Aloud went out for $160.

Raine Maida Building Schools for War Child

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 22:10:26 +0000

Raine Maida traded in his Our Lady Peace fame for the black garb of a busker last week to give a 12-hour performance on Toronto’s financial district sidewalks and street corners. His goal was to raise $30,000 to rebuild a school in the Democratic Republic of Congo through War Child.

The Democratic Republic of Congo, where a decade of war has killed millions and displaced countless more, has entered a ceasefire with a new, elected government. People have been returning home, but there is little to return to.

So far, War Child’s efforts in the Congo include the rehabilitation of 11 schools, helping over 4,000 children to an education. Says James Topham, spokesman for War Child, “There is a direct link between education and child mortality.”