December 2007
©InfoWe are pleased to welcome Jemma Redgrave (pictured) to the supporter network. The actress first became interested in our work after playing a Red Cross nurse in the film 'Relief of Belsen'. Since joining the network she has made a private visit to the Red Cross London Refugee Centre and has attended the launch of the tsunami exhibition Face to Face. The exhibition is open until 6 January 2008 at the Oxo Gallery on London's Southbank.
Singer Katie Melua (pictured) has recorded a new single, 'What A Wonderful World', to help raise money for the British Red Cross. Katie recorded the duet alongside her idol, the late singer Eva Cassidy, in a unique version of the Louis Armstrong classic 'What A Wonderful World'. The single is set to be a Christmas favourite and all profits from the sales will go towards helping vulnerable people in crisis in the UK.
November 2007
©Info Sir Bob Geldof (pictured with British Red Cross' CEO Sir Nicholas Young) was awarded the Red Cross’ Humanitarian Fellowship Award (previous recipients are Bill Clinton and Nelson Mandela) at the special Fortune Forum event. Celebrity guests included Al Gore, Daryl Hannah, Jerry Hall, Lily Cole, Christian Slater, Tamara Mellon, Sir David Frost, and Duncan Bannatyne among others.
This years British Red Cross London Ball carried on the tradition of attracting big name stars. Joan Collins and Roberto Cavalli (pictured) were just two of the celebrity guests that turned up at the country and western theme event.
Other guests included Girls Aloud's Cheryl Cole and Kimberley Walsh (pictured with Roberto), Duncan James, Nancy Dell'Olio, Brendon Cole, Caprice, Jade Jagger, Zara Phillips, Trudi Styler, Dita von Teese and many others! Meanwhile Martine McCutcheon was star guest at the Manchester Ball.
October 2007
©Info Konnie Huq (pictured with first aid trainees) was in celebratory mood as she sunk her teeth into a first aid box cake at a special event on HMS Belfast. The event marked the end of the three-year partnership with Toyota in which 250,000 young people were trained in first aid.
Michael Buerk (pictured) made an ask to potential donors in a press fundraising campaign in which he talked about his experiences of the Red Cross from his early days as a journalist reporting on the Birmingham pub bombings in 1974, right through to his son surviving the devastating tsunami of 2004.
September 2007
©InfoRed Cross supporter Sian Lloyd (pictured) started the world's longest telephone call with record-breaker Tony Wright. Tony holds the current world record for staying awake for the longest time. The event marked the launch of Tesco Telecom's new satellite phone service. The company donated £100 to the British Red Cross for every hour Tony stayed on the phone. And yes he broke the world record with a mammoth call of over 40 hours!
Designer Matthew Williamson drew inspiration for his latest fashion collection from iconic images up loaded on to the internet by members of the public as part of Canon’s We Speak Image campaign. The images were to capture the spirit of the nation. Canon donated money to the Red Cross for every image uploaded. Matthew’s collection was launched at a special party this month.
Former Red Cross nurse and author of Moving Mountains Claire Bertschinger made a moving speech about her experience of working for the charity during the Ethiopian famine in the 1980s at a Red Cross fundraising conference. Claire featured in Michael Buerk original news report on the famine which kicked started the Live Aid concert.
August 2007
©InfoThis month we are pleased to welcome actor Nigel Havers (pictured) to our supporter's network. Nigel has been an active fundraiser for the Red Cross for a number of years now and we are delighted to have him join our group of high-profile supporters.
July 2007
Weather presenter Siân Lloyd (pictured) gave her backing to the British Red Cross National Floods Appeal by promoting the appeal through radio interviews and a photocall. Offers of help came from high-profile individuals from the world of television, music and sport. We would like to thank the talent industry for their support at this time.
The British Red Cross is pleased to welcome writer and actress Emma Kennedy (pictured) to the Entertainment and Artist Supporter Network. Emma has supported the British Red Cross for a number of years now. She has fundraised for the charity, run the London Marathon, fronted two first aid videos and presented at the Red Cross Humanitarian Awards. Emma's new book 'How to Bring Up Your Parents' has just been published and she is presently recording the comedy play Undone for radio and a television comedy Suburban Shootout.
June 2007
©InfoTerry Waite was special guest at a British Red Cross fundraising dinner in Surrey. Delivering a speech about the charity Terry said "Of all the humanitarian agencies at work in the world, the Red Cross is distinguished as being exceptional." The dinner raised over £15,000 for vulnerable people in crisis.
The British Red Cross film detailing James McAvoy's trip to northern Uganda was shown at this year's Glastonbury music festival.
The British Red Cross asked students from Somerset College of Art and Technology to create an innovative design, which represented the threat of climate change for a T-shirt to be sold at this year's Glastonbury festival. Soul singer Joss Stone chose 18-year-old Luke Ferrand as the winner of the competition.
Richard Bacon (pictured) hosts the Tesco Ball on behalf of the British Red Cross, an event that raised thousands of pounds for local crisis care projects in your neighbourhood.
Neighbours actor Blair McDonough and writer and actress Emma Kennedy choose to donate their winnings from Sky's Poker Tournament to the British Red Cross.
Jamie Cullum treated guests to an incredible performance at this year's British Red Cross Gala Ball. The event held at Old Billingsgate on the river Thames attracted a number of high-profile guests including Angela Rippon and Anthony Andrews. Jamie ended his performance by announcing: “I love the Red Cross and that’s why I’m here.”.
May 2007
The Disasters Emergency Committee - of which the British Red Cross is a member - launches its Darfur and Chad Crisis Appeal with the support of high-profile celebrities. Natasha Kaplinsky (pictured) and Nathaniel Parker participated in the press launch, while Joanna Lumley and Fergal Keane fronted the television appeals. Claudia Winkleman helped answer phones as the fundraising hotlines went live.
Actors Jeremy Irons and Trevor Nunn attended a special reception and private screening of the film Red On The Cross at the Curzon Mayfair. The film tells the story of Henry Dunant and the founding of the Red Cross.
Scottish actress Laura McMonagle from BBC's River City set hearts racing when she donned a sexy red leather dress to launch Red Cross Appeal Week 2007 in Scotland. The theme of this year's Red Cross Appeal Week is no one should face a crisis alone and Laura revealed this is a sentiment close to her heart. "My mum has just spent the last four and half months in hospital, so I understand how important it is to have support when you're going through a really difficult time. Thankfully, I've got a great family who were all there for me, which made a huge difference, but some people don't have that and that's where the Red Cross comes in."
April 2007
Celebrity chef Theo Randall held a special fundraising dinner in aid of the British Red Cross at a central London venue. Hosted by Angela Rippon , guests included Konnie Huq, Vanessa Feltz, Wayne Sleep, Moira Stuart, Nicholas Parsons, Esther Rantzen, Hannah Sandling and Lindsey Stoppard
The stars turned out for the British Red Cross first celebrity golf event at Sunningdale this month. Bruce Forsyth and Jodie Kidd (pictured) were just two of the celebrity players who enjoyed a round followed by an exclusive fundraising dinner at the prestigious course. Jodie and Jamie Redknapp were part of the winning team. Other participants included DJ Spoony, David Seaman, Jimmy Tarbuck and Lee Dixon .
Konnie Huq (pictured) backs the latest Don't be a Bystander road safety campaign in which thousands of young people across the UK will be learning life-saving skills this summer thanks to the British Red Cross
March 2007
©Info Mark Bailey (pictured) cutting-edge psychological coach and fitness trainer from TV's Biggest Loser UK offered British Red Cross' London Marathon runners a complimentary training session to motivate the runners to go that extra mile for the charity!
Ex-Neighbours star Blair McDonough (pictured) launches the start of Neighbours Week in all Tesco stores. Staff and employees from Tesco will be raising money for the British Red Cross by ‘doing good in the neighbourhood’.
February 2007
Actor James McAvoy (pictured), who starred in hit movie 'The Last King of Scotland', set in Uganda, returned to the country to see how the Red Cross is helping. James spent four days in the north of the country seeing projects supported by the British Red Cross. He travelled to camps for internally displaced people, forced to flee their homes during more than 20 years of brutal civil war.
Read more about James McAvoy's trip.
January 2007
Chris Parker (pictured) signs up to be the face of the Tesco Junior and Mini runs during 2007. As well as encouraging the kids to get their running shoes on, he will be starting one of the major races in the north of England later this year.