Celebrities earn their stripes at tiger night
Big names attending fundraising Gala in aid of wild tigers
CELEBRITIES from the worlds of drama, comedy, conservation, television, sport, fashion and journalism will be burning bright at the year’s most exotic fundraising event for wild tiger conservation on Thursday (March 3).
Joanna Lumley, Bill Bailey, Bill Oddie, Nicholas Parsons, Jimmy Greaves, Ronni Ancona and Alistair McGowan, Jimmy Choo, Virginia McKenna and Will Travers, Donal MacIntyre, Liz Bonnin and Steve Backshall will all be in attendance at the exclusive Gala Night at London’s prestigious Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
The event is the first major fundraiser for Save Wild Tigers, a partnership comprising the Born Free Foundation, the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and WildAid. It has been created by The Clinton Partnership, which has donated its services.
The night of unforgettable entertainment begins with a Buddhist blessing and a champagne reception, courtesy of Laurent-Perrier.
As well as a vibrant feast of music and dance, Nicholas Parsons will raise a gavel to play auctioneer and give guests the chance for a spot of good-natured rivalry as they bid on lots including a tiger-watching safari in India, luxury holidays, select dining experiences, tiger art and Air Asia flights.
Save Wild Tigers was formed after the St Petersburg International Tiger Forum in November, when Born Free, EIA and WildAid realised the value of pooling their resources to generate funds to help ensure the Forum’s words turn into action.
The proceeds of the Save Wild Tigers Gala Night will fund a variety of complementary tiger conservation activities: Born Free’s field projects engage communities to help secure vital tiger habitat and keep wildlife in the wild; EIA’s investigations protect the environment with intelligence by exposing the criminal networks exploiting the tiger trade to such deadly effect; and WildAid’s innovative demand–reduction programmes target consumers so that when the buying stops the killing can too.
You can join the stars on Thursday, March 3; tickets priced £250 are selling fast and available from http://www.bornfree.org.uk/shop/acatalog/events.html.
PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE
For further information, please contact:
* Born Free PR Director Shirley Galligan on 0207 792 9668 / mobile 07773 848352
* Born Free PR Officer Kate Chapman on 01403 240170 / mobile 07920 195512
* EIA Press Officer Paul Newman on 0207 354 7960 / email [email protected]
EDITORS’ NOTES
1. The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) investigates and campaigns against environmental crime and abuses.
2. The Born Free Foundation is working on the ground to protect wild tigers in Central India. Proceeds from the event will go towards the Satpuda Landscape Tiger Programme. The Satpuda region spans Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh states in India and is home to approximately 300 tigers, most densely situated in a handful of Tiger Reserves. Born Free’s programme implements a combination of long-term, site-specific conservation, monitoring, education and community outreach initiatives at the grassroots level to conserve the Bengal tiger and its habitat. For further information about the Born Free Foundation, contact the PR Department: Shirley Galligan, PR Director T: 0207 792 9668 / M: 07773 848352; Kate Chapman, PR Officer T: 01403 240170 / M: 07920 195512.
3. WildAid works to reduce the demand for endangered species parts and products using high-impact, culturally sensitive multimedia campaigns, and money from the Gala will go towards its China programme. WildAid messages reach up to one billion people every week and are supported by more than 80 high-profile wildlife ambassadors including Jackie Chan, Yao Ming, Ang Lee and Harrison Ford.
4. The Clinton Partnership is a full service marketing communications agency, working across a UK and international portfolio of food and drink clients including Pernod Ricard, The ABF Group, Twinings, Noble Foods, Happy Egg Co and Imperial Tobacco. The agency has played a central role in creating the savewildtigers.org umbrella proposition, and creating this inaugural tiger gala dinner. It plans further events for savewildtigers.org in Sydney and Singapore.
Environmental Investigation Agency
62-63 Upper Street
London N1 0NY, UK
www.eia-international.org
Tel: +44 207 354 7960
Fax: +44 207 354 7961
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