Kaiser Chiefs rock Nordoff and Robbins carol concert – & other celebs supporting charities at Christmas
Melanie May | 18 December 2023 | News
A multitude of celebrities are lending a hand to UK charities this Christmas, helping to raise funds and awareness for Shelter, Together for Short Lives, Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland and more. Read on to find out how.
Gordon Ramsay’s GReat Donate’ festive fundraiser
Gordon Ramsay Restaurant Edinburgh venues have brought back their ‘GReat Donate’ festive fundraiser to raise money for Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus (SBH) Scotland. The fundraiser launched during the 2022 festive season, coinciding with the launch of Gordon Ramsay’s Street Burger restaurant in the St James Quarter. They raised £15,642 as a result which Gordon and Tana Ramsay then matched to give the charity an extra special funds boost.
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This year, a £1 voluntary donation will be added to diner’s bills at the St Andrew Square restaurant and St James Quarter restaurant until the end of December 2023. The funds raised will help SBH Scotland provide support to over 4,000 children, young people and adults across Scotland. Gordon Ramsay became SBH Scotland’s first ever Honorary Patron back in 2003 when he met the organisation’s Chairperson, Dr Margo Whiteford CBE, at the Great North Run. For 20 years, he has continued to support SBH Scotland through charitable donations and appearances.
Host of musicians support Stagehand’s Christmas #I Love Live 3
In its 25th year, Stagehand has launched Christmas fundraiser, #I Love Live 3. This year’s campaign recognises the immense challenges faced by the live event production industry and aims to provide support to UK-based touring and festival crews dealing with serious physical or mental ill health. #I Love Live 3 launched through Crowdfunder on Friday 1 December, with tickets priced at £5. The prize draw is scheduled for Friday 5 January, when winners will be announced. Entries will close on Friday 22 December.
Previous I Love Live events have featured Liam Gallagher’s Les Paul guitar, Glastonbury Festival Tickets, and Dave Grohl’s signed DW ICON Snare Drum, raising over £900,000 for stage crew impacted by the pandemic. This year, #I Love Live 3 will see signed set lists from a star-studded lineup including Paolo Nutini, Prodigy, Nile Rodgers, Bring Me The Horizon, Duran Duran, James Bay, New Order, Natalie Imbruglia, Everything Everything, Blossoms, Wet Leg, Maisie Peters and The 1975, plus a drum skin from Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. Additionally, unsigned memorabilia from Michael Jackson’s ‘This Is It’ Tour, and a piece originally owned by Pink Floyd will be included.
Imelda Staunton narrates children’s picture book for ShelterBox’s winter fundraising appeal
Actress Imelda Staunton, children’s author Sarah Tagholm, and illustrator Karen George have collaborated on a special project to help launch ShelterBox’s winter fundraising appeal that will fund its responses around the world. Imelda Staunton has voiced a children’s picture book written by children’s author Sarah Tagholm for a short campaign film. ‘In The Cold Night’ raises awareness of the threat the cold poses to people fleeing conflict and disaster. The book is illustrated by Karen George.
Louis Theroux & Mandip Gill among celebrities supporting Shelter campaign
Along with the support of a host of celebrity supporters, including Louis Theroux and Mandip Gill, Shelter has launched an installation outside London’s Kings Cross Station to bring attention to the high rate of homeless children and families in England at what should be the most wonderful time of year.
The ‘Dear Santa’ installation comes as the latest government data reveals that a record high number of households with children who became homeless in the past year, with 119 families in England being made homeless every single day and 131,000 children without a place to call home this Christmas. Visually representing the stark reality for children in England this winter, the installation is designed to catch the eye of passersby and will drive support for Shelter’s Winter Appeal.
Stars back Together for Short Lives Every Moment is a Gift appeal
A host of stars are sharing their favourite Christmas moments and memories as they back a national charity appeal to support seriously ill children and their families this Christmas.
As Patrons of Together for Short Lives, Simon Cowell, Mason Mount and Peter Andre, and Ambassador Alesha Dixon, are encouraging people to join them in supporting the charity’s ‘Every Moment is a Gift’ Christmas appeal. The appeal is aiming to raise funds and awareness to support the UK’s 99,000 seriously ill children and their families, by shining a light on the small moments many take for granted, but which mean everything to families whose children are expected to live short lives.
Alongside Simon and Peter, Manchester United and England midfielder Mason Mount features in a film alongside the families of seriously ill children, who share their favourite festive moments, like having dinner together, waking mum and dad up at 6am and putting up decorations on the Christmas Tree.
Kaiser Chiefs & Beverley Knight among stars helping Nordoff and Robbins Christmas Carol Service raise £100,000
Kaiser Chiefs headlined the annual fundraising Christmas Carol Service for music therapy charity, Nordoff and Robbins, at St Luke’s Church in Chelsea on Tuesday 12 December. The indie rock band were joined by Ayanna Witter-Johnson and Beverley Knight among other performers and celebrity readers on the line-up for the event, which raised over £100,000for the charity.
Kaiser Chiefs performed a stripped back set of their biggest hits including Ruby, I Predict A Riot, Coming Home and Love’s Not a Competition (But I’m Winning). Ayanna Witter-Johnson, singer, songwriter, pianist, cellist and winner of the Classical Award at this year’s Nordoff and Robbins O2 Silver Clef Awards performed Roxanne on her cello and Wonderful Christmastime on the piano. Event host and Queen of British Soul, Beverley Knight, sang Holy Night and O Come All You Faithful, alongside co-host Joe Stilgoe who accompanied her on the piano.
There were also performances of Silent Night by the Nordoff and Robbins Community Choir, and Carol of the Bells by Latymer Prep School Choir, along with festive readings from Ronni Ancona, with voice coaches Carrie and David Grant leading the audience in a singsong and also talking about their own experiences of Nordoff and Robbins music therapy.
More on charity Christmas carol concerts with added celebrity sparkle here
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.