eBay’s Big Charity 50
eBay for Charity celebrates £50 million milestone with its biggest ever celebrity auction
Ever wanted to get your hands on Harry Styles’ t-shirt or party with JLS? Well now, thanks to eBay you can. eBay’s charity programme is celebrating reaching its £50million landmark by hosting its biggest celebrity auction yet - 50 celebrities, 50 items, 50 charities. The eBay for Charity programme, established in 2006, has helped support more than 7,500 UK based charities raise funds through the eBay platform. The auction goes live on 22nd August until 1st September.
eBay has opened its little black book to bring together 50 celebrities from the world of music, fashion and sport, including One Direction, Henry Holland and Paul McCartney. The auction includes a mix of one off items and once-in-a-lifetime experiences with the aim of raising as much money as possible for the celebrities’ chosen charities.
Each famous face has donated one item or experience which is personal to them, with all proceeds going to a charity of their choice. Lots include the chance to meet Paul McCartney (on behalf of Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital), Elton John signed boots and festival tickets (on behalf of Amnesty International), Clare Balding’s signed autobiography (on behalf of Riding for the Disabled) and a cycling experience with Michael Vaughan (on behalf Laureus).
eBay for Charity allows consumers to easily support their favourite charity whenever they buy and sell on the site, whilst also enabling charities to open onsite ‘shops’ and host bespoke auctions on the site.
eBay spokesperson, Laura Wilkinson-Rea, says “This is a real milestone for eBay for Charity. Our programme supports over 7,500 UK based charities and since its launch in 2006 has enabled eBay shoppers to bid on some truly unique items and experiences.
What better way to celebrate than to raise even more money for some fantastic charities and shine a spotlight on how easy it is to give to charity on eBay.
We would like to thank everyone who has used the eBay for Charity programme to connect with a cause close to their heart.”
To get involved and support your favourite charity visit www.ebay.co.uk/charity50 from 22nd August and get bidding.
Hugh Bonneville who has donated a booked signed by the Downton Abby cast, has chosen leading international health charity Merlin to benefit from the proceeds of his auction. "I've been a proud patron of Merlin for nearly a decade. This plucky British-founded medical charity works in some of the world’s toughest regions and disaster zones, providing life-saving medical care, restoring shattered health services and making vulnerable communities more resilient. Watching Merlin’s health workers is uplifting. They operate in places other aid agencies shy away from and they succeed when failure looks more likely. Merlin staff are changing lives. Every day."
Peter Andre has donated tickets to his tour with the chance to meet him afterwards and is supporting Cancer Research UK following the loss of his brother last year. “Losing Andrew has been devastating for me and my family but through my Foundation and your support we can change the odds for people diagnosed with cancer in the future. The main message of my Foundation is ‘know your body’, know what’s right for you. So my Foundation will raise vital funds which will go towards Cancer Research UK’s ‘Cancer Awareness Roadshow’.
In addition, PayPal Giving Fund, eBay Inc’s partner charity, will provide £10,000 in unrestricted grant funding to match the funds raised from the top items for the benefiting charities.
The auction will run from 22nd August until 1 September 2013.
ENDS
For more information please contact the eBay press office at Shine Communications on:
eBayteam@shinecom.com or 020 7100 7100
Notes to editors
About eBay for Charity www.ebay.co.uk/charity
UK based charities raise more than £13 million a year on eBay.co.uk. eBay for Charity, established in 2006, helps charities of all sizes to raise funds by trading on the eBay marketplace.
It also gives over eBay.co.uk’s 19 million unique visitors per month a secure and efficient way of donating to a charity of their choice when they buy or sell on the site. Donations from eBay users are collected and regranted in full by PayPal Giving Fund, eBay Inc’s partner charity, registered charity No. 1110538. www.paypalgivingfund.org.uk.
Many famous faces have donated items to support their favourite causes, including Jane Birkin’s original signed Birkin handbag (£100,100), Lewis Hamilton’s childhood go-kart (£42,100), a shopping trip with Kate Moss (£14,600) and Princess Beatrice’s Royal Wedding hat (£81,100).
About eBay
eBay delivers one of the world’s largest marketplaces to customers via any connected device, connecting people with the things they need and love. Founded in 1995 and opening in the UK in 1999, eBay has almost 19 million unique visitors per a month in the UK and Ireland. Around 70% of listings are for new, fixed-price items and the UK site is home to more than 100 top brands and retailers.