Look To The Stars News: Christian Aid

Beverley Knight To Perform At The Big Christmas Sing

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Hundreds of ice skaters will join three-time MOBO award-winner Beverley Knight in a free charity Christmas performance at 5.30pm on Thursday 3rd December, at the Natural History Museum ice rink in South Kensington, London.

Beverley will be performing songs from her new album, along with Christmas favourites for a sing-a-long with skaters and fans. The event is to launch The Big Christmas Sing, a fundraising initiative from charity Christian Aid encouraging people across the country to get together and sing to raise money for some of the world’s poorest people this Christmas.

Beverley Knight says: ‘Singing is a passion for me and millions like me, especially at Christmas. Hook up with your friends and get everyone singing their favourite songs for The Big Christmas Sing. It will raise money for some amazing projects around the world.’

Ice rink tickets cost £13 for adults, £8.50 for children. For tickets call 0844 847 1576. To sign up for the Big Christmas Sing, visit www.christianaid.org.uk/bigsing.

British Celebrities To Run For Christian Aid

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:30:00 -0000

A host of British celebrities are set to take part in a run for fun being held in Newcastle, UK, this weekend.

Jerome Flynn (Soldier, Soldier), Tim Campbell (first ever winner of The Apprentice), Kara Tointon (most recently seen as EastEnders’ Dawn Swann) and boyfriend Joe Swash (Winner of I’m a Celebrity…2008) will dig out their training shoes and join Christian Aid's team of 90 runners in this year’s Great North Run, to help raise vital funds for poor communities around the world.

The Great North Run, the world’s biggest half marathon, has more than 50,000 participants and takes place in Newcastle on the 20th September. All of the money raised by the Christian Aid team will go towards the charity’s overseas development work, helping to tackle poverty and injustice in 49 countries around the world.

Actress Kara Tointon said: “When I travelled to Zambia with Christian Aid, I met people who had next to nothing and saw how they are given medical and practical support which really does keep them alive. So, when I was asked to take part in the Great North Run and help people like those I met in Zambia, I knew I had to do it.”

You can donate to Kara’s run by clicking here

Actor, TV presenter and reigning ‘King of the Jungle’ Joe Swash said: “When I was asked to do the Great North Run for Christian Aid, I immediately got Kara involved as I thought it would be a great thing for us to do together. Besides, thirteen miles shouldn’t be as hard as eating all those witchety grubs in the jungle. We’re both looking forward to running, and saying hello to everyone on the route.”

You can donate to Joe’s run by clicking here

Tim Campbell, Entrepreneur, CEO of The Bright Ideas Trust and first winner of The Apprentice, said: “When Christian Aid asked me to run the Great North Run, I was honoured to support a cause that is so close to my heart. Knowing that the money will go to deserving projects in some of the world’s poorest countries, I relished the opportunity to run with thousands of others in one of the greatest running events in Europe. At the Bright Ideas Trust we understand that business can empower socially excluded individuals to work their way out of their current situations. Some of the small business schemes in the developing world not only do this but also stop people from dying.”

You can donate to Tim’s run by clicking here

Jerome Flynn said he was persuaded to dust off his running shoes by his sister, who works for Christian Aid in the North East. ‘I wanted to encourage my sister, who has been thinking of running this iconic half marathon for several years’ explained Jerome, who is based in the south-west. ‘Hopefully, we’ll be able to celebrate completing the race together, even though our training has been 350 miles apart. I’m delighted to be able to support Christian Aid at the same time because fighting poverty is something my sister and I are both passionate about; I particularly like Christian Aid’s approach, working with local people, regardless of race or faith.’

You can donate to Jerome’s run by clicking here

If you’re interested in finding out more about the Great North Run or other challenge events visit http://www.christianaid.org.uk/events call 020 7523 2248 or email events@christian-aid.org.

British Soap Star Gets Quizzing For Christian Aid Week

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:30:00 -0000

British actress and Eastenders star Kara Tointon is helping put the fun into fundraising by backing this year’s nationwide Quizaid during Christian Aid Week (10 – 16 May 2009), which aims to raise vital funds for the world’s poorest communities.

Last year Quizaid raised a brain-busting £185,000 for Christian Aid’s overseas development work in 49 countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America. This year the charity is challenging the great British public to use its grey matter to raise £225,000.

Organizing Quizaid couldn’t be easier with the charity providing packs with all you need including question cards, posters, invites, answer sheets and a certificate for the winning team. All quiz organisers will be entered into a draw for a year’s supply of chocolate courtesy of the fair trade company, Divine Chocolate. There is a similar draw for those that participate in Quizaid.

‘I hope all the pubs, clubs and community halls up and down the country get quizzing for Quizaid," says Kara. "Having seen some of Christian Aid’s work myself in Zambia, where I saw children who have been orphaned by HIV given homes and care, I know how vital this money is.’

In a bid to get even more people quizzing, four new levels of questions have been introduced – Brainiacs, Average Joe’s, 11-18 year olds or under-10s. Just choose which category your participants fall into and then pick from subjects such as sport, music, geography, pot luck, history and maths. The emphasis is on having fun while raising money for a great cause.

To request a free Quizaid pack, log on to www.christianaid.org.uk/quizaid or call 0808 000 5005. Get your friends, family or work colleagues together at home, at school, in the office or in the pub, charge everyone £2, then get quizzing!

Danielle Lloyd Shops For A Good Cause

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Celebrities famed for their extreme shopping could be feeling a little more saintly this year thanks to a new online shopping service that could turn them into some of the Britain’s biggest charity givers.

Model and TV personality Danielle Lloyd has pledged to do her Christmas shopping this year using www.aGoodCause.co.uk – a unique service which allows shoppers to donate to charity for free while they shop online. Hundreds of different retailers, including Tesco, Nike and Miss Selfridge are already signed up and Danielle hopes that other celebs – and anyone who loves spending – will follow suit and complete their Christmas shopping online via aGoodCause.co.uk.

She said: “I am really excited to be working with aGoodCause.co.uk. I always spend more than I should on Christmas presents, and by using the website I can continue to do so knowing that some of the money is going to charity.”

After downloading a piece of free software from the website, whenever you shop with one of the 570 online retailers that have joined the initiative, they will donate a percentage of what you spend to your chosen charity – without you spending a penny extra.

Among the 200+ charities already signed up to receive donations via aGoodCause.co.uk are Help the Aged, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Christian Aid and Against Breast Cancer.

Celebrities Listen For Disadvantaged Children

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 11:33:55 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A huge and exciting new global media campaign has kicked off to raise awareness and funds for some of the world’s most disadvantaged children.

The Listen Campaign is the result of seven years work and research, and is being supported by a host of celebrities who want the public to listen to the rights and needs of children affected by poverty, disease, natural disaster, exploitation, war, and AIDS in places such as Africa, America, Asia, and Eastern Europe.

“Listen is an annual global media campaign bringing together some of the finest creative artists in film, music, and the arts to raise awareness and funds for 200 children’s charity projects around the world, and to develop a worldwide community of supporters,” said Tony Hollingsworth, Executive Producer of the campaign.

The campaign’s website was launched in November, and contains short films made by some of the world’s biggest stars, who have spent time visiting and listening to children in need. Brooke Shields, Jessica Lange, Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Natalie Portman, and Ashley Judd have all pledged their support for the campaign and are featured on the site, and Samuel L. Jackson has recorded a film about children in New Orleans.

“I had to come here for this… to listen to remarkable stories,” said Jackson, who was drawn to the project from the outset. “I don’t know how [the children] get through it. These kids shouldn’t be hungry and homeless, going to school hearing gunshots, without good schooling, getting ill from the formaldehyde leaching out of the trailer walls. That these kids are still suffering, two years after Hurricane Katrina, is a national scandal. Their voice should be a call to action.”

The campaign has set a fundraising target of $100 million for its first year, and hopes to raise over $10 billion within 10 years. Magazines, newspapers, internet, and television – in fact, every type of media available – are all going to play their part in attaining the campaign’s goal of making 500 million people a year aware of the plight of desperate children. Broadcasts will be made in over 60 countries, with two television specials set for worldwide release in June. One of these, Listen Live, will be a spectacular concert event in Los Angeles, in which major music stars will collaborate to perform one-off versions of their most famous songs, with musical direction from the Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart and legendary music producer Don Was.

Over seventy of the world’s most respected charities, such as Save the Children, CARE, Christian Aid, the Nelson Mandela Foundation, (RED), and WaterAid have nominated 200 children’s projects for the campaign to benefit. All of the beneficiary projects have been pre-declared, and can be seen on the website so the public knows exactly how their donations are to be used. As a unique addition, all donors will also receive five update reports to show exactly how their money is changing the lives of children.

“Pre-declaring the projects that will be funded and then reporting back on the effect of the donor’s money is a key difference of the Listen Campaign to other major international fundraising campaigns,” said Hollingsworth. “This pre-declaration and impact reporting will build public trust, and the creative artists’ contributions will generate interest leading to a sustained community of supporters.”

To take part in the campaign, to read exclusive short stories by some of the world’s best novelists, and to donate and enter competitions, the public can register their support at www.listencharity.org.

Look To The Stars News: Christian Aid

Beverley Knight To Perform At The Big Christmas Sing

Related past articles

British Celebrities To Run For Christian Aid

Related past articles

British Soap Star Gets Quizzing For Christian Aid Week

Related past articles

Danielle Lloyd Shops For A Good Cause

Related past articles

Celebrities Listen For Disadvantaged Children

Related past articles