Look To The Stars News: Great Ormond Street Hospital

Guitarists Sign Cards For Charity Auction

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Some of the greatest guitarists in the world have taken the time to sign cards for a new charity auction starting this week.

StarCards.org will auction a collection of signed Great Ormond Street Hospital playing cards by legendary & renowned guitar players from the 5th November 2009, including Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton, Gary Moore, Steve Vai, Francis Rossi, Rick Parfitt, Phil Hilborne, Neil Murray, Paul Carrack, Joe Brown, Scott Mckeon, and Ramon Diaz.

The highlight of the auction is a Fender Stratocaster Mark Knopfler signature model guitar donated by Fender UK and Bonnersmusic.co.uk of Eastbourne with a hard case as well as a unique display cabinet donated by Wallsoffame.co.uk. The Fender will be signed and personalised by Mark for the winning bidder and will be on display at Bonners until the 15th November.

The auction starts on the 5th November and finishes 10 days later on Sunday 15th November. To take part in the auction, click here.

LTTS Exclusive - Dannii Minogue Lights Up Harrods For Charity

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Richard Barker

Look To The Stars’ Richard Barker was lucky enough to be invited to a very special celebrity charity event in London last week and filed this report.

I have a confession… I love Christmas! It is my favourite time of year. One magical part of this celebration are the lights. I was fortunate enough to be invited to Harrods this year to watch ‘The Emerald Lights Switch On’. Dannii Minogue and the Harrods Chairman Mohamed Al Fayed transformed the World’s Most Famous Department Store into the Emerald City for Christmas.

This Christmas, Harrods has teamed up with Warner Brothers to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the iconic film The Wizard of Oz – and as part of the celebrations is helping to raise £300,000 for the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.

Harrods has transformed itself into The Emerald City as 11,500 bulbs that decorate the store’s famous façade turned from white to a glittering green. International singing and television star Dannii Minogue and Harrods Chairman Mr Al Fayed switched on the lights to make the store’s dazzling transformation.

Dannii and Mr Al Fayed were accompanied by ten year old Dominic, a patient of Great Ormond Street Hospital. Dominic was born with foetal alcohol syndrome, a condition which meant he underwent major heart surgery at three years old and has continued to be a regular visitor at the hospital.

As part of its Wizard of Oz Christmas season, Harrods is helping to raise £300,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity to fund 3 bedrooms in the new kidney unit, which will make a real difference to the lives of the patients and families.

Customers are invited to lend a hand in Harrods Emerald Palace switch-on by visiting Harrods.com and donating to Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, to help make the holidays special for the less fortunate. Visit Harrods.com to make a minimum donation of £10 to benefit Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.

Children from GOSH met the Harrods Chairman and opened the exclusive Ruby Slipper Boudoir. Limited numbers of the magical shoes are on sale priced from £19.95 and available in a junior size 4 to an adult size 8, and 10% of the fee from each pair sold will go to GOSH.

I would highly recommend that you pay Harrods a visit this Christmas.

Dannii Minogue To Turn On Harrods Lights For Charity

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

X Factor judge Dannii Minogue is set to switch on the Harrods Christmas lights for charity this year.

The world-famous department store will be transformed into the Emerald City to celebrate the 70th anniversary of The Wizard Of Oz, and is hoping to raise £300,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital to fund three bedrooms in the new kidney unit.

“The Wizard Of Oz is one of my favorite movies, so I will click my heels together three times and see you there,” said Minogue. “It’s always a treat to be able to support Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity – this year will be magical with the transformation of Harrods into the Emerald City.”

Customers can join in the fun and make donations by clicking here. Dannii Minogue will flick the switch at 5pm on October 29 in London.

Michael Jackson's This Is It Film To Be Released

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

It has been reported that a film is to be released of the final footage from Michael Jackson’s rehearsals for his This Is It concerts, with some of the proceeds to go to charity.

Sony Pictures is in final negotiations to acquire the film – at a price of $60 million – with 90% of the profits to go to the Jackson Estate, which will include a charity to be set up in the King of Pop’s name.

Jackson was a huge supporter of charities in his lifetime, and his family hopes to keep his memory alive with the new charity. The singer often visited underprivileged children and children affected by disasters and in hospitals, and worked with organizations such as the Jane Goodall Institute, the TJ Martell Foundation, the United Negro College Fund, the Michael Jackson Burn Center for Children, the Prince’s Trust, the Great Ormond Street Hospital, Childhelp USA, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of America, Children’s Defense Fund, Elizabeth Taylor’s AIDS Foundation and many more.

The film is set for release on October 30.

Emma Thompson Makes Dream Come True

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

British actress Emma Thompson made a young girl’s dream come true last week.

Isabelle Brown is a 13-year-old cystic fibrosis sufferer who got to spend a day on the set of the upcoming sequel to Nanny McPhee with the Oscar-winning actress and screenwriter.

The teenager was nominated for the treat by the Great Ormond Street Hospital – where she receives treatment – and the trip was organized by Rays of Sunshine, a charity that makes wishes come true for terminally and seriously ill children between the ages of 3-18 in the United Kingdom. Rays of Sunshine also buys vitally needed equipment for those children, and supports the hospitals, hospices and specialist schools that care for them by purchasing equipment and funding capital projects.

More information about the charity can be found here.

Johnny Depp Visits Children's Hospital

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Johnny Depp made a special visit to a children’s hospital in London on Wednesday, July 1, and surprised patients by dressing as one of his most well-loved characters.

The actor had been in London to attend the premiere of Public Enemies, and visited several wards at the Great Ormond Street Hospital dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean.

“Johnny was so friendly with all the children on the ward and they absolutely loved his pirate outfit,“ a source told contactmusic.com. “He spoke to lots of the youngsters and staff – and made their day by posing for pictures with them all.”

Depp has made several visits to the hospital in the past, and his daughter stayed there to recover from kidney failure in 2007.

The Great Ormond Street Hospital specializes in the most complex, life-threatening and life-limiting conditions. It regularly treats 150,000 patients a year. However, the government funding for the facility often falls short of the hospital’s needs, and the children rely on public donations for their on-going treatment. Depp has openly praised the work the staff did to help his daughter and the many other children and families that are treated there.

Michael Jackson's Charity Legacy

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Michael Jackson, who passed away last week, featured significantly on the pages of Look To The Stars. He was a passionate supporter of charity, and was honored by many different organizations for the work that he did and the compassion that he showed.

As well as writing We Are The World with Lionel Richie and helping to organize the United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert in the wake of September 11, Jackson also donated the proceeds from a song to victims of Hurricane Katrina, often donated items to charity auctions, and was to donate some of the proceeds from his upcoming shows in London to charity. He set up a burns unit for children and also established the Heal The World Foundation, whose work has included airlifting 6 tons of supplies to Sarajevo, instituting drug and alcohol abuse education and donating millions of dollars to less fortunate children.

But this is only the tip of the iceberg. A comprehensive timeline of the late singer’s charitable work has been published by Jackson Action. The list includes his work with underprivileged children and children affected by disasters, visits to hospitals, and work with organizations such as the Jane Goodall Institute, the TJ Martell Foundation, the United Negro College Fund, the Michael Jackson Burn Center for Children, the Prince’s Trust, the Great Ormond Street Hospital, Childhelp USA, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of America, Children’s Defense Fund, Elizabeth Taylor’s AIDS Foundation and many more. It also details Jackson’s efforts to airlift 60,000 doses of children’s vaccines to Tblisi, Georgia, and his donations to hundreds of charities. To view the timeline, click here.

The charity world has lost a valuable supporter, and Look To The Stars extends our best wishes to Michael Jackson’s family, friends and fans.

GOSH, What Auctions!

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:26:00 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

The Great Ormond Street Hospital is set to benefit from many current and recent celebrity charity auctions, including a date with Orlando Bloom, which brought in £9,000 ($14,600) just last week.

The Pirates of the Caribbean star was on hand at the Victoria and Albert museum with Formula One racing driver Lewis Hamilton, British TV presenter Vernon Kay and Jade Jagger to help raise over £450,000 ($730,000) for the children’s charity.

Hamilton and other F1 stars, such as Jenson Button, Rubens Barrichello, Sebastian Vettel, Jarno Trulli and Kimi Raikkonen have all signed unique displays for an auction benefitting the children’s hospital. The auction will run at Starcards.org until June 30th.

And, starting today, tennis fans can also visit Starcards.org to bid on the only WTA Tour No.1 Jersey signed by nine former World Number one’s, including Kim Clijsters, Amelie Mauresmo, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Martina Hingis, Martina Navratilova, Justine Henin, Tracy Austin and Maria Sharapova. Also up for grabs are Serena Williams signed designer Nike shoes, and 30 other items. This auction runs until July 5th.

As if that wasn’t enough, also currently on the auction block is an exclusive signed collector’s image from Empire’s 20th Birthday Portfolio which captures Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. To bid, visit EmpireOnline.com.

The Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) was the first hospital in the UK dedicated to children, and since its start in 1852, its pioneering work has caught the attention of many well-known people. Queen Victoria, Charles Dickens and author J M Barrie – who donated the copyright to his famous play Peter Pan – were among the first to pledge their support. More recently, Johnny Depp became a supporter of the hospital, after the staff counted his daughter into the more than 100,000 children treated there annually – children who are suffering from the rarest, most complex and often life-threatening conditions.

To learn more about how you can support GOSH, visit gosh.org.

Celebrities Do Whatever It Takes For Charity

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A huge selection of celebrity-designed bags and T-shirts are currently available at the UK’s premiere celebrity charity auction website, Buy Once Give Twice.

The auction site is hosting the auction for Whatever It Takes, a unique charity artwork project which inspires hope by gathering artworks from leaders in all fields; royalty, film, music, Nobel Peace Prize laureates, sports, literature etc. The artworks are used to ethically produce Whatever It Takes products which are then sold to raise funds for charitable causes chosen by each contributing leader.

Going under the hammer in the auction are T-shirts featuring designs by The Killers, Pink, Snoop Dogg, Nicole Kidman, Hilary Duff, Lucy Liu, Toni Collette, Coldplay, Minnie Driver, Keane, Whoopi Goldberg, Green Day, Barry Manilow, Penelope Cruz, Melanie C, Annie Lennox, and the Kaiser Chiefs. There are also bags and purses designed by Gwen Stefani, Snoop Dogg, Lucy Liu, Kanye West, Slash, David Bowie, Ozzy Osbourne, and Stella McCartney.

Charities supported by Whatever It Takes include: 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, Healthlink Worldwide, Heifer International, Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, Red Cross, LIFEbeat, LifeLine & Rape Crisis PMB, Opportunity International, Oxfam, ROTA, Rights and Humanity, S.A.F.E., Save the Children, Sharon Osborne Colon Cancer Program, Snoop Youth Football League, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Teenage Cancer Trust, The BRIT Trust, Christina Noble Children’s Foundation, Little Dreams Foundation, Lotus Outreach, Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, Toothfairy Foundation, Trade plus Aid, UNHCR, UNICEF, and WaterAid.

To make a bid in the auction, which runs until June 30, click here.

Stars Redesign Mickey Mouse Ears For Charity

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A host of British celebrities have redesigned the famous ears of Mickey Mouse for an auction to benefit the Great Ormond Street Hospital in the UK.

Phil Collins, Geri Halliwell, Estelle, Daisy Lowe, John Terry, Amir Khan, Luella Bartley and Giles Deacon are just some of the names that have taken up the challenge of redesigning the iconic ears, with the auction being launched on May 5.

According to Sky News, Collins revealed he drew inspiration from his musical skills for his creation, which are in the shape of a golden drum kit with “some bald bloke playing the drums” in the middle.

The promotion is being held to celebrate the opening of Mickey’s Magical Party, a year-long celebration taking place between 4th April 2009 and March 2010 at Disneyland Paris that promises to offer guests of all ages interactive entertainment and new experiences.

Disney is helping raise £10 million towards the Great Ormond Street Hospital’s amazing redevelopment, creating a nicer space to treat more children who desperately need care. The hospital in London treats more than 100,000 patients each year – children who are suffering from the rarest, most complex and often life-threatening conditions. They receive the best medical care that money can buy, but the government funding cannot meet these ever-rising costs.

“I had too much fun designing my Mickey ears as part of Mickey’s Magical Party!” said Estelle. “They’re individual, glamorous and have a touch of attitude… Just like me!”

The auction will run on Buy Once Give Twice – the UK’s premiere celebrity charity auction site. More information about the auction can be found here.

Orlando Bloom Sings For The Great Ormond Street Hospital

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A host of special guests from the worlds of music and fashion came together in London to celebrate the role of mothers and to support Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity on Wednesday, March 18.

Kate Moss, Orlando Bloom, Sadie Frost, Tamara Beckwith-Veroni, Jenny Frost, Trinny Woodall, Jamie Hince, Amber Aitken, Melissa Odabash, Charlotte Tilbury, Serena Rees and The Clash’s Mick Jones were just some of the stars that attended the event, with proceeds going to the facility that treats more than 100,000 patients each year – children who are suffering from the rarest, most complex and often life-threatening conditions.

The evening raised over £50,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital and included an incredible celebrity auction that featured an exclusive Stephen Webster 18ct White gold, White Diamond and Ruby ‘Mummy Rocks’ locket, lunch with Stephen Fry, a meet and greet with Simon Cowell with tickets to Britain’s Got Talent, and a kiss from Kate Moss – which sold for a massive £5000.

But perhaps the highlight of the night was when Orlando Bloom climbed up on stage to join Mick Jones in singing The Clash’s hit ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go.’

The evening was a big step in helping to raise the £50 million needed this year to help rebuild and refurbish Great Ormond Street Hospital, buy vital equipment and fund pioneering research.

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.

Damien Hirst Doodles For MRI Scanner

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

Written by Tim Saunders

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.

In February, the 42-year-old artist organized a Valentine’s Day auction of more than 60 works of art to raise funds for Bono’s (RED) charity that made over $42.6 million. He regularly donates artworks to help charities such as ARK, War Child, the Dorset Wildlife Trust, the Great Ormond Street Hospital and many others.

Fairy Wings Auctioned For Charity

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A group of celebrities are weaving a little magic for charity this week by auctioning fairy wings on eBay. But before you get too upset about cruelty to fairies, we should point out that the wings have been designed by the stars and absolutely no fairies were harmed in the making of this auction.

The auction, which runs from September 8 to 18, features fairy wings designed by pop princess Leona Lewis and royal Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. Organized by the Walt Disney Corporation, the auction will raise proceeds for the Great Ormond Street Hospital.

“I loved the idea of the Disney Fairy Wing Auction and was really pleased to be able to help and contribute to such a great cause,” said Lewis. “Great Ormond Street Hospital obviously does such an important job and the Disney Fairy Wings are a really fun way to raise money for such an admirable charity. I’ll keep my fingers crossed on the 8th September that lots of people bid for my wings on the Disney Fairies eBay page – I’d love to see them raise something for Great Ormond Street Hospital.”

Disney has pledged to raise £10 million (US$20 million) to revamp Great Ormond Street. A new café, restaurant and a Disney Interactive Zone will be built with the funds.

Joining Lewis and the princesses in designing wings for the auction are British TV presenters Tess Daly and Vernon Kay, designers Nicole Farhi and Orla Kiely, sports stars James Cracknell, Greg Rusedski and Tim Henman, supermodel Agyness Deyn and the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson.

The auction can be accessed via eBay.

Children's Hospital Benefits From Formula One Party

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

It was a case of life in the fast lane for a host of celebrities earlier this week when they turned up at the annual British Grand Prix Party in aid of the Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Hosted by Vernon Kay and Tess Daly, the event raised over £700,000 (US$1.4 million) to build the hospital’s new Heart and Lung Center. Held at London’s famous Bloomsbury Ballroom at Victoria House, the event attracted a host of stars, including producer and hip-hop star Pharrell Williams, Simon Webb, Jamelia, and Formula One’s Jenson Button and Damon Hill.

“I stand fully behind the F1 efforts to make a better life for GOSH’s young patients,” said Button, who was one of the first to arrive on the red carpet – perhaps because of his fast driving skills.

Mark Webber was another driver in attendance to show his support.

“An Australian friend’s little boy was treated at GOSH,” he said. “Unfortunately he did not make it, but in his time at the hospital he was cared for so well that giving my support is a matter of the heart.”

Dinner was followed by an auction, which included the chance to bid on items such as an opportunity to complete two laps in Santander’s two-seater Grand Prix car, driven by ‘The Stig’ from BBC television’s Top Gear on race day of the British Grand Prix, a meet-and-greet with Barry Manilow, and the Steinmetz diamond-encrusted steering wheel used by Kimi Raikkonen.

The evening ended with dancing to the grooves of Basement Jaxx.

Great Ormond Street Hospital in London treats more than 100,000 ill children each year, and specializes in the most complex, life-threatening and life-limiting conditions. It relies on public donations to boost the Government funding it receives.

Big Audience, Big Screen, Big Movie

Thu, 15 May 2008 11:26:50 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Liam Neeson will attend London’s première charity showing of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian at The O2 arena on June 19, the latest film Neeson has loaned his voice to.

The big deal about this première, the sequel to the 2005 film of C. S. Lewis’ book “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe”, is the size of the screen and audience: a giant cinema screen will be installed into the arena for 10,000 viewers.

Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media will donate proceeds of ticket sales to the Great Ormond Street Hospital, a world-leading children’s hospital that hosts a wide range of specialists for research and treatment of children’s rare, complex and life-threatening conditions.

Besides the millions the Hospital is trying to raise for refurbishment of the 150-year-old facilities, it is partnering with Disney to raise £10 million for the construction of a new restaurant, café and Disney Interactive Zone. The Zone, which will be created by Disney ‘imagineers’ together with hospital design teams, will be a meeting area for patients and families.

If Disney’s Prince Caspian special effects are any indication, the Zone should be the perfect place for children to forget about their health troubles, at least for a while.

Johnny Depp Donates To Children's Hospital

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 11:13:39 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

There is an unconfirmed report that actor Johnny Depp has made a huge donation to the children’s hospital that saved his daughter’s life.

Several of the world’s major news networks have reported that the star of over 40 movies has given $2.2 million to the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, although the Charities Aid Foundation in England has reported the story as a hoax.

Depp’s 8-year-old daughter, Lily-Rose, was hospitalized in March after E. coli poisoning caused her kidneys to fail. Depp and his long-time partner, Vanessa Paradis, put their lives on hold during Lily-Rose’s 9 day illness, bringing the production of Depp’s new film, “Sweeney Todd”, to a standstill.

“To say it was the darkest moment, that’s nothing,” the 43-year-old actor told Entertainment Weekly. “It doesn’t come close to describing it. Words are so small.”

Depp also personally thanked Lily-Rose’s five doctors and nurses, and invited them to the premiere of “Sweeney Todd” in London last week.

The donation follows a surprise visit to the hospital on November 29, during which Depp spent four hours in character as Pirates of the Caribbean’s Captain Jack Sparrow – he had the costume sent over specially from Los Angeles – reading bedtime stories to the young patients.

“It was the most frightening thing we have ever been through,” he said. “It was hell. But the magic is that she pulled through beautifully. Great Ormond Street was terrific, a great hospital.”

Depp’s donation was followed by a pledge of $1.96 million from The Walt Disney Co. as part of a partnership to help the hospital raise $19.6 million for a redevelopment that will include a Disney-branded interactive zone for children and youths.

The relationship between Disney and Great Ormond Street dates to 1939, when Walt Disney acquired the animation rights to “Peter Pan” from the hospital. “Peter Pan” author J.M. Barrie gifted the hospital all rights to the story in 1929.

Sir Paul McCartney - Santa's Famous Charity Helper

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 10:03:27 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I’m telling you why – Santa Claus is coming to town… but he might not be alone.

The big man in red was joined by his good friend Sir Paul McCartney during a visit to the Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) on December 17, as part of the facility’s 2nd annual Christmas party.

The singer spread some festive spirit around the 1,500 young patients of the children’s hospital, and also took part in a special karaoke session, belting out an impromptu version of S Club 7’s “Don’t Stop Movin’”.

“Sir Paul had everyone singing along,” said one of the partygoers. “The children were thrilled, but it was even more of a treat for the parents.”

The Great Ormond Street Hospital in London is a major children’s hospital that specializes in the most complex, life-threatening and life-limiting conditions. It regularly treats 150,000 patients a year. However, the government funding for the facility often falls short of the hospital’s needs, and the children rely on public donations for their on-going treatment.

“We’re delighted to be able to share this exciting day with the children, as they deserve a wonderful Christmas treat after coping so bravely with the tough year that many of them have had,” said TV presenter Tess Daly who, along with her husband Vernon Kay, also attended the event. “The Great Ormond Street Hospital does such fantastic work in helping the children get better.”

One of the children that Sir Paul met during his visit was 9-year-old Milly Pyne, who was born with a rare genetic disorder where the bones of her face and skull were fused together at birth. This brave young girl from Cumbria underwent surgery earlier this year, and earlier in December was honored at the Woman’s Own Children of Courage awards.

Sir Paul greeted Milly with a big hug, and then pretended to take a bite out of her medal.

The party also featured Santa’s Magical Workshop, where children could meet the big man, along with his elves and reindeer. They were also treated to festive food, and took part in games and toy making.

Celebrities Lend Their Hands To Charity

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 09:58:29 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Over 40 celebrities from around the world are featured in a special new book to be released in time for Christmas.

“Celebrity Handprints", set to be published on December 1, is the culmination of two years work for author James Preston. Since November 2005, Preston has scoured the globe in search of famous names who were willing to dip their hands in ink and leave a lasting mark on paper. And his peculiar pursuit opened doors to some of entertainment’s biggest stars, including Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Matt Damon, and Keira Knightley.

Over the course of his travels, Preston collected more than 100 handprints and accompanying photos of some of the brightest stars in film, television, music and sports, 42 of which are to be included in the new book. All of the proceeds from the publication will go to benefit two British children’s charities – Children in Need and the Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Also available is a series of limited edition prints of the handprints, suitable for framing. The cost for each print, which also includes a photograph of the star involved, is $100. 30% of the total will go to both charities.

Other stars involved in the project include David Beckham, Robbie Williams, Will Smith, Joss Stone, Alicia Keys, Shakira, Sir Richard Branson, Sir Tom Jones, Linkin Park, Avril Lavigne, Snoop Dogg, Samuel L. Jackson, Wyclef Jean, the Kaiser Chiefs, the Smashing Pumpkins, Snow Patrol, Star Wars creator George Lucas, and many more.

The book will be available for $40 from bookstores and Amazon, and both the book and the prints will be able to be purchased from www.celebrityhandprints.org.

Elton John, P. Diddy and Andrew Lloyd-Webber to Celebrate Life of Princess Diana

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 21:03:21 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

This Sunday, July 1st, music will fill the skies in remembrance of Princess Diana. The event was organised by her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry to celebrate her life, ten years after her death.

Concert For Diana will take place at Wembley Stadium in London, and is showcasing a wide variety of musical styles, from Andrew Lloyd-Webber to P. Diddy. Legends Elton John, Rod Stewart and Tom Jones will be joined by the likes of Joss Stone, Nelly Furtado, Pharrell Williams, Kanye West and James Morrison.

Many more performances will take place during the 8-hour-long event, including those by Duran Duran, Take That, Lily Allen and the English National Ballet.

Proceeds of the event go to charities which were supported by the Princess, and to charities of which her sons are now Patrons. These include: The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, Centrepoint, Sentebale, National AIDS Trust, The Leprosy Mission, the Royal Marsden Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital and the English National Ballet.

Tickets cost £45, but those who cannot make it to the concert can view it online at the Concert For Diana website.

Kylie, Moby and McCartney Give Charity Canvases

Sat, 27 Jan 2007 18:44:33 -0000

Written by Steve Purcell

The Hospital Gallery in London’s Covent Garden is to exhibit a collection of celebrities’ paintings before they are sold at auction to aid Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Celebrity contributors to “The Alive and Well Dog Project” include artist Damien Hirst, and such stars as Kylie Minogue, Paul McCartney, Moby, legendary soccer player Pelé, and comedian Ricky Gervais. Each of the 130 contributed paintings is an interpretation of a doodled dog drawn by the six-year-old son of event organiser Simon Freedman. The auction could raise as much as £300,000 for the children’s hospital.

The exhibition will run from January 29 to February 7, with the auction taking place at the gallery itself on January 31. A book of the project will also be available, in a limited run of 600 copies.

Great Ormond Street Hospital was famously given the rights to “Peter Pan” by author J. M. Barrie.

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