Asthma UK glitters as the stars come out
26 June 2008

The glamorous surroundings of the Dorchester Hotel in London provided the perfect backdrop for a sparkling evening of champagne and fundraising fun and games last night, all in aid of the charity Asthma UK.

In a ballroom, only rooms away from Nelson Mandela’s birthday celebrations, President of Asthma UK, The Rt Hon Sir John Major KG, CH welcomed a host of glittering guests including Strictly Come Dancing’s Camilla Dallerup and Asthma UK ambassador Heather Small. Guests enjoyed a champagne reception followed by a fabulous four-course meal and a tour de force from impressionist Rory Bremner before a nail biting auction. Rory had the room in hysterics with a rip-roaring whistle-stop tour of global leaders, lambasting everyone from Tony Blair and Gordon Brown to Prince Phillip and a rather throaty Camilla Parker Bowles. Even Sir John Major wasn’t safe, despite sitting a few feet away!

Thankfully even the credit crunch didn’t dampen the mood and guests bid enthusiastically for a host of fabulous prizes including a personalised voicemail message by comedian Bill Bailey and Director’s Box tickets for a Premiership Match including the opportunity to meet footballer Paul Scholes. The star auction prize however was a Matisse Lithograph which went for an impressive £16,000.

Nick Posford, Special Events Manager at Asthma UK, said: ‘The Gala Evening surpassed all our expectations, and the extraordinary generosity of our many guests helped us to raise an amazing £155,500 for people with asthma. The money raised from the event will go towards funding life-saving research and providing essential services for more than 5 million people, including over a million children, who suffer from asthma in the UK’.

In the UK one person dies from asthma every seven hours and the equivalent of an entire classroom of children die every year. Events such as this year’s Gala Evening help to raise money and awareness for this serious cause, providing hope that with further research and a better standard of healthcare, millions of lives can be saved.

1. Asthma UK’s official sponsor for the Dorchester Gala is GAME
2. Celebrities who attended the event were singer Heather Small, Strictly Come Dancing’s Camilla Dallerup, writer & broadcaster Claire Rayner, UK Middle Distance runner James Thie and World Rowing Champion Alex Gregory.
3. Asthma UK is the charity dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the 5.2 million people in the UK whose lives are affected by asthma. We work together with people with asthma, health professionals and researchers to develop and share expertise to help people increase their understanding and reduce the effect of asthma on their lives.
4. For independent and confidential advice on asthma, call the Asthma UK Adviceline which is staffed by asthma nurse specialists. It is open weekdays from 9am to 5pm on 08457 01 02 03. Or email an asthma nurse at asthma.org.uk/adviceline.
5. For up-to-date news on asthma, information and publications, visit the Asthma UK website asthma.org.uk.