Olly Murs helps Rays of Sunshine grant 9,000th wish, & more celeb news
Melanie May | 19 August 2024 | News
Olly Murs, Lily James and Dara Ó Briain are among the celebrities to have recently shown their support for good causes in a variety of ways. More below.
Rays of Sunshine grants 9,000 wish in 21 years with help from The Fragrance Shop and ambassador Olly Murs
Rays of Sunshine has granted its 9,000 wish in 21 years – a meet and greet with Olly Murs for 18-year-old Sanna.
The wish was delivered with support from The Fragrance Shop, a longstanding corporate partner of Rays of Sunshine. Sanna is currently on the transplant list and undergoing treatment for end-stage kidney failure, and was invited to The Fragrance Shop’s high-tech FQ (Fragrance Quarters) in Manchester alongside Olly, for a day of pampering and photography. Passionate about her photography studies, after a Q&A, and from behind the camera, Sanna directed Olly to strike some poses – resulting in some pictures which she can use for her professional portfolio.
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Comedy stars raise £28,000 at Underbelly’s sixth annual Big Brain Tumour Benefit
This brings the total raised for The Brain Tumour Charity over the years to over £138,000.This year’s show took place on 13 August with Irish comedy legend Dara Ó Briain, King of the one-liners Milton Jones, Kiwi Edinburgh Comedy Award Winner and tv actress Rose Matafeo, UK tv star and stand-up comedian Angela Barnes, 2023 Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Show nominee and BBC Radio 4’s Ian Smith, Indian comedy super star Kanan Gill, Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Amy Gledhill, and Fringe favourite Carl Donnelly as MC.
The show was created by Underbelly in 2017 following the diagnosis of an aggressive and rare form of brain cancer in Alfie Bartlam, the son of Underbelly’s co-founder Ed Bartlam. All money raised goes to the charity.
Stefan Bajcetic and Vitezslav Jaros make surprise visit to LFC Foundation Inclusion Camp
LFC men’s first team players Stefan Bajcetic and Vitezslav Jaros surprised LFC Foundation participants last week when they visited the Kicks Inclusion Camp at Anfield Sports and Community Centre (ASCC). The Kicks Inclusion Camp, which is supported by the Premier League and Steve Morgan Foundation, is run throughout the year providing free sports activities for children, young people and adults with additional learning, behaviour, physical and sensory needs across the Liverpool City region.
The session saw members take part in a range of football drills and activities within their age groups, before Bajcetic and Jaros arrived to surprise them. Both players spent time meeting the participants, watching the sessions and getting involved, while also sharing their footballing tips, signing autographs and posing for photos.
Conductor John Wilson joins Help Musicians as official Ambassador
Conductor John Wilson has joined Help Musicians as an ambassador with the charity saying that he will help them inspire more musicians in future to continue their journey to forge a career in music.
He joins Bryan Adams, Abel Selaocoe, Chris Difford, Isata Kanneh-Mason, Sir Simon Rattle and more as a champion of the charity’s impact on musicians in the UK. A Gateshead-native, Wilson studied composition and conducting at the Royal College of Music before forging his career. For many years, he performed regularly both in the UK and abroad with the John Wilson Orchestra and in 2018 he relaunched the Sinfonia of London with whom he is now performing regularly across the UK.
Tony Cottee appointed as Honorary Patron of MND charity
Challenging MND has announced the appointment of Tony Cottee, former professional footballer and sports broadcaster, as its new Honorary Patron. The charity says that appointment marks a significant step in its mission to raise awareness and funds for those affected by Motor Neurone Disease (MND). As Honorary Patron, Cottee will participate in various awareness campaigns, fundraising events, and advocacy efforts aimed at supporting those living with MND and their supporting network.
Tony Cottee’s career in football saw him score over 200 goals scored during his time at clubs like West Ham United, Everton, and Leicester City, as well as representing England at the international level. He is also sports commentator and analyst. His understanding of the physical demands placed on athletes and empathy for those who face life-altering health challenges have inspired him to join the fight against MND.
Lily James becomes Global Supporter for Space for Giants
To help bolster conservation efforts in Africa, Lily James has joined Space for Giants as a Global Supporter. During a recent visit to Kenya, she witnessed firsthand the organisation’s work, saying: “I am truly honoured to be a Space for Giants Global Supporter and help to achieve their goals to protect Africa’s remaining natural ecosystems and populations of large wild animals they contain, and the people who depend on the land.”
“Earlier this year, I had the privilege of visiting some of the critical wild refuges that have been restored and protected by Space for Giants in Kenya. With more than 90% of Africa’s 8,400 protected landscapes without funding and many natural ecosystems without any protection at all in the face of huge human pressures, wild animals such as elephants, rhinos and big cats are in huge trouble. The work that Space for Giants does is, therefore, more important than ever.”
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.