Category Archives: Culture

Camellia’s Tea Shop | Review

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Camellia’s Tea Shop has a lot going for it; a great location in central London, a great view and a good variety of tea. So, then, why was it one of the worst places I have ever drank in, in London? Let me start….

As I walked into Camellia’s Tea Shop the friend I was meeting was nowhere to be seen. I had a walk around so I could decide where to sit. I finally make up my mind and I am approached by someone I think is the manager, who is rude and condescending. She asks me if I am having tea, something I think is rather obvious in a tea room, I say ‘yes’ very politely. She points to the smallest and most out-of-the-way table and says that I should go sit there. I decide not to create a scene as my friend will be here soon, so I smile and I go and take this table.

I take a look at the menu and I just have a normal tea as I am not a huge fan of most herbal tea. By this time my friend has arrived and I go and order a drink for her too. I pay £3.50 for each tea. My friend likes her tea but mine, well, it really was the worst tea I have ever had in my life. Which is quite an achievement. For a brief moment I actually think the milk they gave me might be off as it tastes so disgusting. I couldn’t even finish it.

It is a shame that Camellia’s Tea Shop does not live up to its potential as it could be a great tea room. The service is awful, the staff are rude and the tea is the worst I have ever tasted. Avoid at all costs.

 

Brigid Hains On The Launch of Aeon | Interview

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Why did you set up Aeon?

Paul and I set up Aeon because we believed that we live at a point in history when people are questioning their own and their society’s values and beliefs, and in our view the only way to work through this is by having open conversation and debate about questions that matter deeply to people.

 

What is the main aim of Aeon?

To foster conversations about significant questions that go to the heart of contemporary dilemmas and interests: whether that be understanding the latest news about the Higgs Boson, wondering how we mark important moments in our lives, or thinking deeply about the meaning of work and leisure. Our topics range very widely, but our interests are unified by a particular ethos, or tone. We want Aeon to be a place that people visit, and spend time online, where they feel confident that each essay will be stimulating, and some will have the capacity to shift their perspectives altogether.

 

You have some brilliant essays coming up. Can you tell us about some of the highlights?

We have a wonderful lyrical essay on Bristlecone Pines – the world’s oldest living beings – and their prospects under climate change, by young science writer Ross Andersen. A searing memoir of life as a fostered adolescent and how a wild raccoon saved her sense of self by Lauren Slater, an award-winning essayist. A spirited defence of metaphor and inspiration by Jay Griffiths, author of the Wild; and a searching, deeply personal account of what it is like for Arab women facing the post-revolution world today by Amal Ghandour. A highly varied collection!

 

What do you think the most important news story this year has been?

In the spirit of our commitment to many perspectives, and the many qualities that make us human beings, I couldn’t say there has been one dominating story. Our desire is to get beyond the news and into the questions that lie behind the daily news cycle: from the lives of Arab women living through revolutions  to the consequences of climate change; questions of sexuality and gay rights in Uganda or the culture wars that are part of the US election.

 

How do you get your writers?

We do a huge amount of research and discussion within the editorial team. The initial point of contact varies: sometimes one of our editors will approach a writer they have worked with before; sometimes we cold-call somebody we’d love to have writing for us, and sometimes we are approached by writers who have something for us.

 

Describe a typical day.

Right now we are in the middle of launch so we have a great deal going on. The longer rhythms of commissioning essays and working with our writers to get the essays right goes on all the time. So every day we are in correspondence with writers, working on drafts, researching possible stories and researching pictures (which are very important to our highly visual site).

At the same time as this we meet every day to discuss the day to day management of the website, and the kinds of responses we have had to each essay. Every day we also connect to our social media communities, as well. If we are serious about conversation, we need to be agile and responsive to our readers as well as commissioning work that we believe in ourselves.

 

Tell us a bit about you

I’m originally trained as an environmental historian, and also have an academic background in anthropology. I’ve always had wide intellectual interests, especially in science, environment and historical topics. For a very long time Paul and I have both been interested in how ideas work in the world – both through people’s personal experiences and also through social action and wider discussion – so Aeon is very much an expression of that mutual interest. On a personal note, I’m Australian, I’ve been living in London for most of the past 6 years (I’ve also lived briefly in New York) and Paul and I have a daughter who is 11.

 

Aeon is an online magazine. Do you think print is dead?

Not at all! I love print, both in magazine and book form. However the digital space offers a fluidity and reach that cannot be matched in print for a new magazine like ours. As new devices come on the market, digital will be able to offer something closer and closer to the immersive reading of print. There are things that print still does very well – the ultimate balance between the two is hard to predict.

 

What is Aeon’s business model? How do you think you will make money?

Our business model is to spend the first year or so investing significantly in the magazine in order to build up a strong following or community of interested people – readers, writers, artists and photographers. Once we have established that reach we will start to build opportunities for generating revenue. We are not sure what forms these will take and are watching closely how other publications are doing so – from micro-payments for articles, to higher levels of service for subscribers, live events, and online fora.

 

What advice do you have for people who want to get into publishing?

I’m not sure that I have any particular advice for people who want to get into publishing – but for those who are interested in writing for a magazine like Aeon I can say: know you subject very well, and read deeply into it if that’s appropriate. Authentic personal experience married with significant technical or empirical knowledge is a powerful combination. Write often, but with discipline and seek advice and help with your writing. And approach us with a pitch if you think you have something that’s right for us!

The Man on Her Mind

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The Man on Her Mind is a subtle comedy exploring the reality of relationships against the imagination of the soul.

 

Set in the heart of Manhattan, Eleanor anxiously waits for her lover in her 32nd floor studio flat as she disgustedly deletes the countless voice messages of another suitor, Leonard.

 

Never knowing when boyfriend Jack will arrive, once the confident banker breezes into the room, the chemistry between the pair’s evident as they flirt over a glass of wine and he affectionately calls her ‘Nellie’.

 

Jack’s forced to hide in the bathroom as Janet, Eleanor’s older sister, pops by to get the gossip on her love life and quizzes her on why she’s not returned her neighbour’s calls.  

 

Sibling rivalry is evident in the interaction; Janet wants to make Eleanor jealous of her ‘perfect’ suburban family life, mocking her sister’s tiny flat and sporadic lifestyle.

 

The scene then cuts to Leonard’s house.

 

A slightly nervous character, the audience sees the cluttered state of his mind with dozens of large boxes still waiting to be unpacked despite him moving in several months ago.

 

Janet and her husband Frank invite themselves in (he tends to leave it wide open) and do their best to find out more about their neighbour who they’ve already marked as Eleanor’s perfect match.

 

However, once the couple leave, Leonard’s girlfriend confidently strolls down the stairs.

 

And surprisingly, it’s Nellie, the imaginary concept of Eleanor.

 

Similarly, Leonard is the physical embodiment of the subconscious Jack.

 

Ironically, the real Eleanor hates the real Leonard, but somehow he’s manifested himself into her imagination as the perfect man Jack.

 

And Nellie has been formed from Eleanor, the girl Leonard desperately tried to call and hoped to date. 

 

Once the imaginary Nellie and Jack meet, they play the part of guardian angels, willing their real selves to start a relationship.

 

And it’s only a matter of time before Eleanor drops her defences and gives Leonard a chance where they both discover they’re truly soul mates.

 

Written by Alan Hruska and directed by Bruce Guthrie, the pair have composed an original and enigmatic stage production at Charing Cross Theatre for the autumn.

 

Amy McAllister, who played both Nellie and Eleanor, was the standout actress, delivering a charismatic performance, adapting her persona to fit both the real and imaginary characters.

 

The themes of love and rivalry were wonderfully played out and the serious idea of what’s real and what’s imaginary was handled with a refreshing comedic twist.

 

The Man on Her Mind is showing at Charing Cross Theatre till 27 Oct 2012.

www.charingcrosstheatre.com.

 


The Economics of Happiness | Film Review

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One of my favourite books is Ancient Futures: Learning From Ladakh, a riveting book by Helena Norberg-Hodge. The Economics of Happiness follows on from this book. It describes how consumerism and globalisation damages the lives of, not only villagers in Ladakh, but also the wider world in general. Making them less happy and affecting their livelihoods.

Helena Norberg-Hodge talks about the happiness index and gives a strong argument for localisation while exploding the myths that surround it. Did you know that most countries export as much food as they import? Critics say that it is not possible to feed the world without importing but this brilliant documentary sets the record straight on many environmental and economical issues. The Economics of Happiness lays waste with the idea that the relocalisation of food production in the West would cause starvation in the developing world.

People are sick of companies putting chemicals in our food. One of the problems of today is how far away we are from the reality of our food. Our food has become big business and it does harm to our health. It is depressing that we live in a world where a meal from McDonalds costs less than some vegetables. No wonder diabetes and other health problems are on the rise.

The Economics of Happiness has important people from six continents asking for economic change, including environmentalist and conservative MP Zac Goldsmith, Vandana Shiva, Bill McKibben, David Korten, Michael Shuman, Andrew Simms and Clive Hamilton amongst others. The documentary runs for 65 minutes. It is well paced with high production value.

The documentary goes on to make 8 arguments against globalisation. It makes its point well and makes no apology, Norberg-Hodge thinks globalisation makes us unhappy and less socially connected. The documentary is well researched and it rightly points out that globalisation exists thanks to huge subsidies from governments. This documentary argues it’s case well and gives a strong argument for localisation.

I saw this film shortly after seeing the brilliant, Oscar-nominated, Foods Inc. As customers we have the power to vote with our wallets, even if that vote means we spend nothing at all.

I saw this documentary after Zac Goldsmith MP brought it to Richmond and afterward I met Helena Norberg-Hodge who has graciously said she would give Frost an interview. Something I am very excited about. Watch this space!

To find out more or to contribute; http://www.theeconomicsofhappiness.org/

Vogue On Designers | Book Review

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VOGUE ON

Elsa Schiaparelli, Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, and Alexander McQueen

Out Now, £15 each, hardback

 

 Sometimes I love my job, and the opportunity to review these books was one of those times. These books are as beautiful, elegant and enjoyable as the designers the books are about. I love the layout of the books and each one has great quotes from the designer.

Vogue on: Coco Chanel, by Bronwyn Cosgrave. Vogue on Chanel may be a short book but it is incredibly comprehensive. The book is full of pictures and quotes. It is hard to read the story of Coco Chanel’s life and not be inspired by what an amazing business women she was. To Vogue’s credit it does not brush over the rumours about Nazi collaboration (Chanel had an affair with a German officer during World War II) and the book is well-researched and beautifully written. The Vogue archive pictures are to-die-for and I learnt a lot from reading this book. Coco Chanel managed to leave her mark, not just fashion, but also the world. An excellent businesswomen she built an entire empire by creating a signature look.

Coco Chanel’s private life was as interesting as her business. She dated the Duke of Westminster and traveled in high society. She was backed by Kitty De Rothschild who stated, “I shan’t buy a thing without showing her. That child’s got more taste than the rest put together.” After this stamp of approval the elite of the day bought her clothes in droves, and still do.

I loved this book. It is a triumph for Bronwyn Cosgrave. A perfect gift for Christmas and beyond.

 

Vogue on: Alexander McQueen,  by Chloe Fox. This book is different from the others as I actually remember Alexander McQueen, and was very upset when he tragically took his own life. He is the most modern of the fashion designers and I remember some of the collections. For 15 years the mouthy, East-End, working-class boy-did-good, McQueen was deliberately controversial.

Talented beyond belief, McQueen was also arrogant, likable and visionary. He knew how to be quotable and work the press as much as he knew how to design beautiful, wearable clothes. This book has a ting of sadness as both McQueen and Isabella Blow committed suicide. Blow had ovarian cancer and McQueen killed himself not long after Blow, and then his mother died

McQueen’s label lasts and the mantle has been handed to Sarah Burton, who designed the wedding dress of Kate Middleton. Burton talks fondly of her former boss in this book.Burton says, “He was my inspiration everyday. Everything I know, I learnt from him.”  In fact, the book has access to all of the main players in McQueens life. A must have for fashion lovers and McQueen fans.

In this book Plum Sykes says, “The fact was, Alexander created a new silhouette for a generation. When you look back at the history of fashion, the only designers with any longevity – from Balenciaga to Dior to Yves Saint Laurent – are the ones who created their own iconic shape.” This quote is what you learn from Vogue’s series of books on designers: they all created their own shape.I really hope there will be more books in this series.

 

Vogue on: Christian Dior, by Charlotte Sinclair. Dior was such a visionary that he completely changed how women dressed. The ‘New Look’ he invented stunned the fashion world and had a cataclysmic effect. The truth is, Dior did more than create a look, he created a revolution. When Dior showcased his new range so many people would come that even the staircases would be filled. There is a wonderful picture of Marlene Dietrich in this book, clutching her ticket as a child would hang onto candy. This book, and indeed all of the others, is not just a book on fashion, but a book on history. Vogue on Christian Dior is a fascinating read, I could barely put it down. I could also stare at the pictures for hours.

All of Diors couture clients had their own mannequin that was made to their own measurements. Upon reading this I rather longed to be incredibly rich and that Christian Dior was still alive, as it sounded so romantic and wonderful. One of the reasons Dior was so successful was because he gave women what they wanted. “I brought back the neglected art of people pleasing.” He said.

Of course, all of the designers these books are about are dead now. An era ended. Even Alexander McQueen, sadly gone too soon. I hope Vogue do more books in this series. Yves Saint Laurent would be an obvious, and much deserved, subject.

Vogue on: Elsa Schiaparelli, by Judith Watt. Like the rest of the books in the series, Vogue on Elsa Schiaparelli is well illustrated, picture perfect and wonderfully written. Schiaparelli may not be as well known to the wider public as the other designers but she remains influential.

Schiaparelli was also a rare thing, even today: a female fashion designer. She had a lasting rivalry with Coco Chanel who was dismissive of her. Schiaparelli was born into high society but lost all of her money after her husband spent her dowry and then left her and her young daughter. She went to work and managed to open her own label. She said: ‘Poverty forced me to work, Paris gave me a liking for it.” Schiaparelli  not only managed to design her own “look”, she also made designs for different types of women, no matter what their body shape or personality. She was also an artist, collaborating with Salvador Dali and Man Ray,

This book is a brilliant story of flair, tenaciousness and perseverance. A wonderful book.

“Life on the dotted line was of no possible interest.” Elsa Schiaparelli

 

Vogue On is an influential and covetable series of short books from the fashion bible Vogue, celebrating the defining fashion designers of the last century.  The first four books in the series illuminate the significance of Elsa Schiaparelli, Coco Chanel, Christian Dior and Alexander McQueen, each pioneers of their time, and draw extensively on the Vogue archive, the definition of portraiture and fashion illustration. 

 

Alexandra Shulman, Editor of British Vogue, comments “Vogue On offers an authoritative overview of the work of the 20th century’s most influential designers. Unique access to the treasures of the Vogue library combined with concise, elegant and informed writing ensures that this series is an unmissable addition to any student or enthusiast of fashion’s library.”

 

Vogue, the international fashion bible, has charted the careers of designers through the decades. Its unique archive of photographs, taken by the leading photographers of the day from Cecil Beaton to Mario Testino, and original illustrations, together with its highly respected fashion writers, make Vogue the most authoritative and prestigious source of reference on fashion. No magazine is better positioned to present a library on the most influential fashion designers of the modern age.

 


 

 

Let’s Hear it for the Boys!

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Boylexe, Shadow Lounge, 26 September 2012

Having thoroughly enjoyed Burlexe earlier this year, I was delighted to be invited to the first performance of Howard Wilmot’s latest creation, Boylexe, and see how the boys measured up (so to speak) against the girls.

A 1980s soundtrack is always guaranteed to put a smile on my face, and the resident DJ played us in with some favourites from that decade whilst some of the performers threw shapes to the music (Devoh Bobbie impressed me from the start with his infectious enthusiasm), and when Kele le Roc opened the show with ELO’s hit, Xanadu, I knew I was onto a winner (www.notesfromxanadu.com).  Phil Dzwonkiewicz gave us a teasing taste of what was to come, followed by Randolph Hott, whose suit and tie were soon removed in the first dance of the evening.  We then heard the story of Babette, a boy who ran away to the circus, before Devoh Bobbie took to the stage to the tune of Madonna’s Vogue.  Bobbie’s dancing and acting are both excellent, and his shy-but-cheeky boy act was very well received.

There were many wonderful moments in this show: Mr Mistress’ reverse strip was hilarious, as was Nine Bob Rob’s Playstation, and Phil Dzwonkiewicz made a marvellous transformation from suave to geek.  The monologues tended to be on the humourous side without the edginess that was evident in Burlexe, keeping the mood of the show on a constant upbeat level.  Kele Le Roc was a fantastic hostess, and also showed her acting talent as a drag queen who was, in her own words, “only one nose job away from Janet Jackson.”  Performances from Phil Bedwell, Rob Pryor and Patric Deony also added to the evening’s enjoyment.

So Burlexe or Boylexe?  The boys were funnier, but the girls were sexier.  I’d personally like to see a combined boys and girls show.  Who knows – they may even now be working on it.

Picture by Magnus Arrevad.  For more information about Boylexe, visit www.boylexe.co.uk.

London 2012: The Volunteer Games. The Legacy Lives on

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While most of us were happy to just sit back and watch the games photographer Felix Kunze had something else in mind. A hugely ambitious project to photograph the London 2012 Volunteers. Kunze’s managed this with aplomb and even caught the attention of The Guardian who paised it saying:

“A stunning portfolio of portraits in which he sought to illustrate the spirit of the men and women he calls “heroes of London 2012.”

Roy Greenslade – The Guardian The London 2012 Volunteers Portrait Project

We have got the lowdown on this impressive project by Felix in his own words.

“My London 2012 Volunteers project has become a microcosm of the Olympic experience. It has been garnering all sorts of attention online and has turned into a place for volunteers to connect. Messages like ‘Hey, we met on the train, I want to stay in touch’ are the kind of interaction I had hoped for.

The project has captured the imagination. It is remind people of the pride, hard work and enthusiastic collaboration that led to the games being dubbed ‘The Volunteer Games’. You need only look at the comments on the album and the photos on facebook: www.bit.ly/London2012Volunteers

Photographically, the project resulted from me solving something fairly negative:

I had turned down various assignments to block out my schedule to be in London during these games. I’ve followed the Olympics with growing enthusiasm since the Barcelona games in ’92. When London won the bid, I couldn’t believe it. 7 years of build up, 5 weeks of intense action and I still can’t believe the games were in my home city. The idea of it still makes me emotional.

When I cleared my schedule at the behest of my assignment editors at Getty Images, I was excited to be involved in some official way. I envisioned shoots for the sponsors, events with the athletes, even things only vaguely related to the Olympics. As I’m not a sports shooter, I wasn’t going to be covering any of the main events at the venues; I knew accreditations were tight. What I wasn’t prepared for was the absolute dearth of assignments. Getty had the same experience as the shops and restaurants of central London. Lots of buzz, but no visitors. Lots of buzz, but no assignments. It was heart-breaking, devastating, depressing even. Add to that the fact that I didn’t get any of the tickets I had applied for, I was in a storm of regret and disappointment. The fear of missing out.

Then a bout of inspiration changed it all. I managed to get tickets for the Women’s Volleyball at Earls Court at the last minute. It was great to watch the game, but what was even greater was the Games Makers who welcomed us with smiles, helped in every way, shared our dismay at not being able to get more tickets. To me they are the stars of the games. I know lots of people felt the same.

On my morning run the day after Earls Court, the idea came to me to do memento portraits of the volunteers. I wanted them to have something they could take away from the games, something they would be able to savour in 10, 20 or 30 years.I knew from the outset that I wanted to take them out of the venues they were working in. I wanted to give equal billing to those stationed directing people over a bridge to those driving the top dignitaries. Lots of people were taking pictures of volunteers, I wanted to do something different.

A couple of challenges came to mind right away:

– I couldn’t spend much time with each volunteer. Their job is to make the Olympics run smoothly, not to be photographed.
– We needed a portable setup that had no permanence, lest we fall foul of local laws regarding business on sidewalks. We also didn’t have accreditation. We had to find a place away from the venues that was swarming with volunteers.
– We solved all of this by using a setup comprised of some black foamboard, 1 simple light. We used a fairly standard ‘strobe-over-daylight’ method to balance the natural and artificial light and I needed a minimum of three assistants every day to make it work. One for the backdrop, one for the light and one to get each person’s details and have them sign a release form on my iPad.”

Games Maker facts:

– More than 240,000 applicants, of which only 70,000 became Game Makers after an interview process and training
– Over 2000 16-18 year olds were game makers during these games.
– Uniforms for the team of Game Makers, staff, officials and contracts required 765.92 miles of fabric, 359.37 miles of thread, 730,610 buttons and 1,069,034 zips. That’s a lot of stitching!
– Most applied over 2 years before the start of the Olympics
– McDonalds is the official partner for the Game Maker program and used their infrastructure to help attract, select and train the volunteers
– They delivered around 8 million volunteer hours to make the games run smoothly

“For the Olympics I photographed over 300 portraits.

 

We heard some amazing stories. The kind of stories that made me foam at the mouth with jealousy – A lot of the Game Makers I photographed were drivers, some drove the North Koreans, some drove family members. Not all of them had ‘All’ passes, but the ones that did were telling me stories of watching the athletics within reach of the Cauldron while their clients attend the stadium, many of them met athletes, many of them met dignitaries, many of them struck up amazing friendships. Many had come from afar, put a lot on the line to make the games work. It’s been inspiring.

 

The Paralympics:

 

After the Olympics I went and spent a couple of days in the sun. On the Eurostar to Paris, I received a phone call from Mr Matt Hatt who was working for the London Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) who asked if I could photograph the volunteer wrap party. I couldn’t but Matthew Richards, one of my volunteer assistants, jumped in.

Mr Hatt then asked if I wanted to come into the Olympic Park during the Paralympics. We agreed that Matthew Richards should be my assistant, having slaved away at the wrap party. We arranged accreditation and we spent close to a week in the Olympic Park during the Paralympics. We shot 350 more portraits. This time with support in the form of a Lastolite mobile backdrop which was a godsend, it made my setup mobile and easy to use. I was able to put all the equipment down at the Fleet Depot inside the park, no need for 3 assistants.

 

We snuck into the Arcelor Mittal Orbit and watched the women’s 100m final from the viewing platform. We cruised around the park on BMWs über-cool electric bicycles, got so close to the action that we were bombarded by fireworks shrapnel but had the most incredible vista views of the final night’s celebration. We even got driven home by a Games Maker in an official vehicle – Games Lanes and a behind the scenes car tour of the park.

 

On a personal level, the project couldn’t have worked out better for me. I have trouble finding the words to sum up my experience. The Olympic Games are the greatest show on earth. I was a part of it. I did portraiture, I did what I loved. It means so much, it made my year. I did it for free, I didn’t make a dime, I turned down paid work. It was worth it.”

Gwyneth Paltrow launches Stand Up to Cancer on Channel 4

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Stars from television, music and film will come together this autumn for “Stand Up To Cancer” – a unique new fundraising campaign on Channel 4. Joining forces with Cancer Research UK, the campaign will build on air over a week of programming, delivering the best of Channel 4’s science and entertainment programming. It will climax on Friday 19th October in a fundraising extravaganza hosted by Davina McCall, Alan Carr and Dr Christian.

Yesterday in London, Gwyneth Paltrow, Co-Executive Producer of SU2C USA, joined Channel 4’s Chief Creative Officer, Jay Hunt; Cancer Research UK’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Harpal Kumar; and all round fabulous press conference chair Alan Carr, to launch Stand Up To Cancer UK.

Alan Carr revealed: “Pretty much everyone will be affected by this disease in their lifetime, and that’s the very simple reason why I’m honoured to be involved with this campaign. Like so many people, I’ve seen exactly how destructive the big C is. I’ve lost two people already this year to cancer, and friend of mine who has been diagnosed with throat cancer is having her voice box removed next week, and won’t speak again. So we need to raise a lot of money.”

Gwyneth Paltrow said: “I would like to tell you about nine women from the entertainment industry in the United States who, four years ago, decided to do something about the unbearable reality that cancer claims the lives of eight million men, women and children worldwide every year. In the US, 1600 people-a-day are lost to cancer. I lost my father in 2002, and I’m also aware of the impact this disease has on families. But whether we lose a loved one in the US or the UK, we all lose until we do something to change it.”

“Well, these nine women, whose lives had been profoundly affected by cancer, did something. They mobilised the entertainment community, and created Stand Up to Cancer – a program of Hollywood’s leading charity, the Entertainment Industry Foundation. Stand Up to Cancer is a grassroots movement to raise funds for cancer research, to get new treatments to patients more quickly. It requires scientists to work together, to compete against cancer, instead of each other. ”

“Well, it worked. Four years later, $260 million has been pledged. 350 scientists have been funded across more than 80 institutions, with dozens of clinical trials underway. And patients are benefitting. Scientists are working together, accelerating the process to save more lives. And on October 19th, the fight against cancer comes to Channel 4. With their extraordinary commitment to the one-in-three people in the UK who will be diagnosed with cancer in our lifetime, we are thrilled to join forces with Cancer Research UK and Channel 4, and to bring you Stand Up to Cancer UK.”

“We have the power to make cancer powerless – perhaps even end it. But it takes more research, and that requires funding. Cancer has taken some of the best among us, and it is time for us all to stand up and fight back. I’m so proud to be standing up to cancer for my dad. Please tune in and donate on October 19th. Stand for the people you love in your life. Stand for these amazing advances in science and medicine. Stand Up to Cancer.”

Jay Hunt said: “Why Stand Up to Cancer, and why Channel 4? Well, Channel 4 prides itself on daring to do things that nobody else would want to do or could do. In the last few weeks we’ve managed to change attitudes in this nation to disability with our coverage of the Paralympics, and now we’re up for the ultimate challenge – and to be honest, it doesn’t get much bigger than trying to play a part in curing cancer.”

“[This will be] a charity appeal unlike anything you’ve seen before: a uniquely Channel 4 hybrid of comedy, of entertainment, and science, which is designed to grab hold of an audience and not let it go.”

“Now we are so determined to do something really special on October 19th, we have taken a rather terrifying decision, and one that my scheduling team may not forgive me for. We’re going to stay on air for as long as the donations keep pouring in. Now that might mean that we’re still sitting there as the sun comes up in the morning, but it’ll take whatever it takes, and I think the cause is so important we wanted to make that sort of commitment.”

Dr Harpal Kumar said: “It’s not just technology or knowledge that we need. It’s funding. And every pound we raise is a step closer to our goal of beating this disease. Through Stand Up to Cancer, we hope to raise millions of pounds for our lifesaving work, and thanks to some very important people in this room with us here today, we’re not doing it alone.”

“I’m absolutely thrilled that Stand Up to Cancer has become a reality in the UK, and Channel 4 is the perfect partner for a campaign that promises to challenge, inspire, and push the boundaries in how we fight this devastating disease.”

“The UK leads the world in clinical trials, with one-in-five patients with cancer going on to a clinical study. But we need to do more. Many more patients would like the option of going on clinical trials. So all the funds raised through Stand Up to Cancer will go towards research specifically designed to have an impact within just a few years, by working to turn breakthroughs in the lab to breakthroughs in our hospitals.”

Throughout the week and night, there will be a plenty of other surprises and a huge range of opportunities for audiences to get involved and donate to the cause, to show their support and raise millions for the fight against cancer. For inspiration viewers can log on to www.standuptocancer.org.uk/get-involved

In the run up to the 19 October, Cancer Research UK will be urging the public to get involved by donating money, fundraising, showing support through social networks or snapping up some Stand Up To Cancer merchandise.

For up to date information please go to www.standuptocancer.org.uk or www.channel4.com/su2c

#standuptocancer

Twitter handle: @Standup2C

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/standuptocancerUK

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/standuptocancerUK

 

‘Stand Up To Cancer’, a joint national fundraising event from Channel 4 and Cancer Research UK culminating in a live evening extravaganza on 19th October. Follow @Standup2C, Standuptocancer.org.uk or channel4.co.uk/SU2C for further information.