Chucking out for charity

Christmas Special

Christmas is the season of goodwill, and here is your chance to join the stars in raising money for their favorite charities. They have raided their wardrobes and attics to find cherished items to be auctioned off by WEEKEND – now all you have to do is bid for their treasured possessions. The highest bids will win, but remember the stars would welcome any donation to their chosen causes.

He says Uri Geller
PSYCHIC AND AUTHOR
Chosen Charity: Save The Children
Items donated: Citroen Saxo with surrealist artwork by Uri Geller; an ancient Brazilian crystal

I bought the car around the time the Kosovo crisis was at its height and made it a prize in a competition on my website. People had to guess the subject of a drawing seated in my safe. The drawing was of a pair of scissors. I used to concentrate every day at 11 am, but unfortunately no one got it right by the time I revealed the answer a year later on August 11 – the solar eclipse. I have a passion for crystals, the whole house is festooned with them – even the lampshades are 17th-century crystals. I believe in their healing power and energy. Years ago, I decided to give something back to the world, and I liked the fact that Save The Children is a global charity. I hope lots of money is raised for the Kosovo orphans – Save The Children plays a key role in the region. I’ve been through a war myself, and as a father of two I hate to see children suffer. The Save The Children Fund, 17 Grove Lane, London SE5 8RD.

She saysMartine McCutcheon
SINGER AND ACTRESS Chosen charity: The NSPCC (Full Stop Campaign) Item donated: Signed EastEnders script storyline: Tiffany’s husband Grant sleeps with his wife’s mother

The script is about two years old, yet it seems like yesterday. My character Tiffany has just returned from a marvellous holiday in Spain and is the last to know about Grant and her mother. My future with EastEnders was being discussed at the time, but then my singing career took off. The Full Stop Campaign aims to increase awareness of child abuse. I didn’t have a great upbringing, but compared to some of the children the NSPCC tells me about, it was paradise. The NSPCC, 42 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3NH, tel : 0171-825 2500.

He says Pat Cash
TENNIS PLAYER/COMMENTATOR Chosen Charity: GOAL Item donated: Prince Magnesium tennis racket he used to win the 1987 Wimbledon men’s singles title

This is the only Wimbledon champion’s racket that has been made available to the public in recent times. It was a very limited edition, even then, and they don’t make them any more. Most of the strings on this one broke during the match in which I beat Ivan Lendl, the top seed at that time. I’d been introduced to GOAL, a disaster relief fund, a year earlier and I’m now its UK president. It ensures safe delivery of medical shipments to areas such as Timor, Bosnia and Kosovo, somehow managing to cut through red tape. I have tremendous respect for people who go to disaster sites and get things done. GOAL (UK), 7 Hanson Street, London W1P 7LJ, tel: 0171-631 3196

He says Boy George
SINGER WITH CULTURE CLUB AND DJ Chosen charity: The Big Issue (magazine) Refuge Project Item donated: Green Philip Treacy hat

I’ve been wearing Philip’s hats for about five years – I’ve never found a milliner who makes them so perfectly for my head. I went berserk in his shop the first time, grabbing everything and trying it on. I visit him about once every three months; he always makes me a hat on my birthday and it’s always something spectacular. This particular one I got about a year ago during his green phase. The Big Issue encourages homeless people to do something practical about their situation, giving them a means of earning a living through selling the magazines. The money raised by this hat will go towards refuges for the homeless. The Big Issue, 236-240 Pentonville Road, London, N1 9JY.

She says Cherie Booth
QC AND PRIME MINISTER’S WIFE Chosen Charity : SHADO Item donated: Size 12 gold silk trouser suit and size 4 gold shoes

This outfit by designer Ronit Zilkha, was described as one of my fashion disasters when I first wore it. I am not sure why, as I have always liked it and I enjoyed wearing it to the Brit Awards in 1998. But after reading what others thought, I felt a bit uncomfortable being seen in it in public. I suppose the head-to-toe gold might have looked a bit over the top, but if you have spent 20 years wearing dark suits to court, it is quite a relief to splash out on something more adventurous. I would like to donate it for auction for SHADO, a community-based drug rehabilitation charity on Merseyside, of which I am patro and which was founded by my cousin Paul in 1984 in response to the heroin epidemic. The charity gives support to thousands of drug users every year. SHADO, The Paul Thompson Centre, 83-93 Stonebridge Lane, Croxteth, Liverpool L11 4SJ. Tel: 0151-546 1141.

She says Darcey Bussel
PRINCIPAL DANCER WITH THE ROYAL BALLET
Chosen Charity: The National Kidney Research Fund
Item donated: Size 5 ballet shoes

I wore these shoes at the Sadler’s Wells theatre, early this year. Sadler’s Wells is a very special stomping ground for me; after I left school it was the first ever venue I performed in as a professional. I had a kidney infection once; it was agony and I had to miss a performance – but kidney failure can be fatal. My chosen charity promotes medical research into kidney failure, including the causes, effects and prevention. The National Kidney Research Fund, King’s Chambers, Priestgate, Peterborough PE1 IFG.

He says Sir Cliff Richard
POP LEGEND
Chosen charity: The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation
Item donated: Prince Longbody Precision Graphite II tennis racket

This racket has seen action against Steffi Graf and Greg Rusedski – one of the highlights of my tennis career was being invited to join Steffi in a practice knock-up. On tour, I practise for a couple of hours every day to keep fit, but I’m still no better than club standard. I have been involved in the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation from the beginning. Roy was a committed Christian and I had the greatest respect and admiration for the dignity and courage he showed. The centre is the only one in the world devoted solely to lung cancer research The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, The Georgian House, 37 Bell Street, Reigate, Surrey RH2 7AG.

He says Bobby Charlton
FOOTBALLING LEGEND
Chosen charity: CHIN-UP
Item donated: Golf bag

1 like to unwind with a good game of golf. In May of this year, I had a very special game when I partnered Nick Faido in a celebrity program tournament. Nick and I didn’t win, but we had a memorable day. Every time I look at or use this special tournament golf bag, the enjoyment of that game registers immediately. I hope my golf bag will raise a lot of money for the CHIN-UP Independent Children’s Hospice Appeal, of which I am a founder patron. CHIN-UP, which is run entirely by volunteers, is raising £2 million to provide the North-East and Cumbria’s first independent (not linked to a hospital or an adult hospice) children’s hospice for terminally ill children and their families. As a family man, my heart goes out to these courageous children and their families and I will do anything to help the CHIN-UP appeal. CHIN-UP Independent Children’s Hospice Appeal, PO Box 18, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE13 6YZ.

She says Esther Rantzen
TV PRESENTER
Chosen charity, ChildLine
Item donated: Dick Whittinglon panto costume

I’ve had this costume since 1981, when I played Dick Whittington in pantomime in Bognor Regis. Dare I say it, 1 was a real star – every performance was packed. It was certainly one of the peaks of my professional career. Now I’m being offered the part of the Fairy Godmother, which shows how times changed. The costume comprises a satin-lined, sparkly, blue and a velvet three-comered hat with plumes, which I wore with leather boots. I have worn it to quite a few parties and it always receives magnificent plaudits. I recommend the successful bidder does as I do and gets into character with a bit of swashbuckling. ChildLine is dear to me because it has been part of my life for a long time, ever since I presented That’s Life. It’s a sad fact that ChildLine (for 24-hour free heipline, tel: 0800 1111) remains a necessity – I know that when I listen to the echoing loneliness in the voices of the children who call and when I read the letters of others. ChildLine, Freepost 1111, London N1 OBR, tel: 0800 101996.

Scoft and Gavin Hastings
SCOTLAND RUGBY PLAYERS
Chosen Charity : SPARKS
Item donated: Signed International shirt Scott says
Gavin and I have been playing rugby for Scotland for more than 12 years, and have played in three Rugby World Cups. The autographed Scotland international jersey hasn’t seen any action – whoever wins it could change all that. Our involvement with SPARKS started ten years ago when we were invited to play in charity golf tournaments raising money for neo-natal hospitals and medical research into premature birth and children’s diseases. SPARKS, Francis House, Francis Street, London SW1P IDE, tel: 0171-931 8899.

Sting
Chosen Charity: The Rainforest Foundation Item donated: Autographed Fender guitar

He says
I haven’t found an opportunity to break in the new Fender guitar; it’s a guitarists’ guitar, and I hope it will bring good luck to any budding musicians out there. I visited the Amazon rainforest in 1989 with my wife Trudie, where we met Raoni, a chief of the Kayopo Indians. In response to Raoni’s story about his struggle to save his home, we set up the Rainforest Foundation. Its mission is to support the world’ rainforest populations in their efforts to protect their environment. We can help by securing the their long-term wellbeing and managing these resources in ways which do not harm their environment or violate their culture. The Foundation helps to develop projects in rainforests throughout the world. The charity has so far saved an area the size of Switzerland – help us save the rest. The Rainforest Foundation, Suite A5 City Cloisters, 196 Old Street, London EC 1 V 9FR, tel.’ 0 1 71-251 6345.

She says Dannii Minogue
SINGER AND ACTRESS
Chosen Charity: The Terrence Higgins Trust
Item donated: Size 8 backless leather dress from her’98 UK tour

This is a leather dress I wore for my Unleashed tour last year. It’s a sexy power outfit – it made me feel I could take on the world. The Terrence Higgins Trust is the UKs leading HIV and Aids charity, providing services for those affected by HIV and Aids. The cause is close to my heart, as lots of my friends are gay. The Terence Higgins Trust, 52-54 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8JU. Compiled by Anthi Charalambous