Advisor for Partnerships to the World Council of Peoples for the United Nations / Impact Advisor and Producer
WHAT a campaign. So damn beautiful, so damn sexy. We just couldn't pick which shots to use... So we pretty much used them all.
Thank goodness, Tessa Packard's jewellery lives up to the standard of her campaign. Just look at these little beauties from her latest collection, No Smoke Without Flowers. All from a gorgeous girl, with a gorgeous smile, and a gorgeous heart.
We don't often plug our own, but when they're worth it, boy are they worth it.
Two words beginning with D: 'Dogs' and 'David'. Gandy that is.
When we received an invitation centred around that Double-D, we were over the moon. What better than a morning surrounded by such beautiful creatures (canine, and non). And we weren't disappointed.
Battersea Dog's Home has just laid the cornerstone for their new kennels, and we were lucky enough to be present when TheBeautifulMan and a host of other celebrities trundled across the bridge to Battersea, their canine friends in tow.
The event was a barking success. Candy floss, pick and mix, a vintage brass band and hot dogs (an interesting choice of food, but whatever...), decorated the event and paid dues to the remarkable success that Battersea is.
We always like to keep you updated on the results of your efforts and we really want to emphasise how much you all have contributed to helping the 14 dogs that come through the doors of Battersea every single day (that's over 5,000 a year). Whilst the Home is already undeniably brilliant, it is currently made up of a sea of Victorian buildings. The new project is an absolute necessity and we are delighted to see its progress.
On a side note, you have helped make David Gandy smile. Who knows what you may get in return...
Rosie Huntingon-Whitely is one of the most beautiful girls on the planet. She is kind and intelligent, too. So when she does something, it shoots straight to the front pages of the press and sits there sparkling, for all the world to gaze upon. And believe us, they do.
Which is why her visit to Cambodia has been so useful for UNICEF. There this week to film a segment for Soccer Aid, the model/ actress has been instagramming pictures to her 1.4 million+ followers and gracing the headlines of the Daily Mail Online, the world's most read web page. The girl who is given huge sums to flaunt the likes of some of the world's biggest brands, including Burberry, is now promoting another: UNICEF. The centrepiece? The plight of Cambodia's children.
So this is all good, jolly and productive, right? Wrong. For if one glazes over comments left under the articles which brandish pictures of her blowing kisses with these suffering children, another image begins to appear: one of scepticism, and jealousy.
'She's not Mother Theresa' bursts one, among shells of 'Her shoes cost more than they make in a lifetime'. This may be true, but does that mean Rosie should keep well away from the disadvantaged, and stay safe and cosy in her LA stomping ground? Does this mean that the rich philanthropists of the world should stop associating themselves with those they help, and focus on their Rolls Royces and Chelsea townhouses? Or maybe, we should all stop buying nice things, and give all our money to charity.
For this, effectively, is what the commentators are suggesting. That promoting the disadvantaged is nothing more than a publicity tool, that those 'with' are not entitled to help those 'without'. Nothing makes us at The Society HQ more angry. People shouldn't be guilty for what they have, but should use it to the advantage of others. Which is exactly what Rosie, and celebrities like her, are doing. She has the ability to catch the eye of millions worldwide - so why not bring the plight of Cambodian children with her?
That is what doing good means. The age-old question of whether there is such thing as 'true altruism' is brought to the forefront, but should one care? Rosie has probably got 10,000 more followers on Instagram as a result of her current trip. But does that devalue what those 10,000+ will do with their newly-acquired knowledge of Cambodian poverty? No.
So we ask those commentators, and observers, and sceptics, to get off their high horses. The comments are so unbelievable that it is hard to imagine them not being tainted by something as blinding as jealousy. About looks, about money, about lifestyle.
There are always rewards for doing good, not least the satisfaction of knowing that one has helped someone. As we always say, there is nothing better than making someone smile.
Who cares what we get along the way? It's what we give that matters.
Kate Spade New York is two things: incredibly bright, and immensely girly. So no one was exactly surprised when nearly one hundred and twenty over-excited girls flooded their Sloane Square store on Thursday night. The Society had take it over for the last of our fundraising events - for the time being. So we wanted to make it good. Memorable. Exciting. Productive.
And we are pretty sure we succeeded. With the girls came a good thirty or so boys, their tongues hanging out their mouths at the sight in front of them: a sea of beautiful girls, each drinking copious amounts of free champagne and cocktails, high on the sugar of macaroons and freebies. The girls gossiped away, invariably letting some dashing young fellow in a suit swoop in and buy them some sugary-sweet Kate Spade goodies.
So much fun and flirting was had that it took fifteen minutes to quieten everyone down for the raffle. William Curley, Bougie Macaron, QMS Medicosmetics, Ormonde Jayne, Chakana and Kate Spade donated some delectable prizes, which helped us raise £1,500 for our charities (see here).
When the excitement eventually died down (or rather, we pushed everyone out of the shop in time for closing), it was off to Tonteria for more free drinks, and then to 5 Hertford Street and other exciting locations around town.
We wonder who went home with who, their goody bags and raffle prizes in tow...
Last night, Britain plunged in to an hour of darkness. The lights of Big Ben were switched off, Windsor Castle's impressive facade faded into the night, and Buckingham Palace became a mere silhouette.
The brightness of central London was extinguished. Or was it?
Yesterday's action was all part of 'Earth Hour', a worldwide movement promoted by the WWF to raise environmental awareness. Ten million people took part in England last year, and at this time we are still waiting for last night's numbers. But we wonder where those millions were, how many people actually noticed the sudden darkness to surround them, and how many knew what it was for?
Worldwide movements such as Earth Hour are incredibly beneficial to charities and social action groups for raising awareness of their causes. Without them, their plights would be kept in near total darkness (no pun intended). But we wonder whether enough is being done to promote these movements. Newspapers certainly reported that 'Britons are being asked to turn their lights off', but Instagram, Facebook and Twitter have all been pretty clear of signs that the British actually did. We ask, therefore, why are the press so involved, but social media so quiet?
Social media has an incredible ability to make people do things. It doesn't just indiscriminately 'speak to' people, as the press does. It includes them, invites them to take part. Social media is personal. The recent 'no makeup selfie' has been remarkable in that respect, the first truly charitable social media revolution. Its strength lies in two facets: 1. People can actually get involved and 2. They are named and shamed if they do not. It is peer pressure at its best, blackmailing people to do good and raise £8 million + in the process. It becomes clear that people must have a personal reason to get involved. Even if it is as simple as not being publicly embarrassed for not taking a photo of themselves.
So when one looks to Earth Hour, or Water Day which quietly sailed past last week, one is left wondering when the world will realise that people only learn so much when they watch. It's when they do that things happen.
'We just want to be perfect', asserts Jody Wainwright, Director and Head of Stone Resourcing at Boodles, the quintessential British jewellers. 'Perfect', it seems, is in fact pretty easily definable by the new 1,300 diamond, 7 emerald Greenfire Suite, the star of Channel 4's The Million Pound Necklace: Inside Boodles. The glittering documentary, airing this evening, is a testament to the intricacies that Boodles adheres to in its quest for perfection: no stone is too shiny, no search too wide, no craft too taxing. Perhaps more attractive, to those not so fazed by all-things-shiny, is the company's family heart. Four strong figureheads stand atop the glittering tower of diamonds, emeralds and sapphires that is the 215 year old company. James Amos, Jody, Nicholas and Michael Wainwright smile together as they pioneer their ancestry into the history - and fashion - books. Together they have forged the way to the forefront of British jewellery, and British life.
The Boodles Tennis Tournament has become as much of a British institution as any, but it is the biennial Boodles Boxing Ball which takes pride of place in the company's portfolio. The gala, which raised £200,000 for the Starlight Children's foundation, is leading the way in the journey we share: making charity attractive.
As our friend, Boodles Director, James Amos emphasised in his endorsement of The Society, 'Charitable giving is all too often reactive, rather than proactive amongst our generation. In our small way, we try to make a difference with the biennial Boodles Boxing Ball, but there is plenty more opportunity for everyone to get involved and to give to charity. Focused charitable events, opportunities for volunteering, and structured philanthropy will only be a good thing for the challenging world that we live in.'
Boodles: Jewellers. Family. Givers. Perfection indeed.
The Million Pound Necklace: Inside Boodles, airs tonight on Channel 4, 9pm.
Daesung Lee's series, 'On the Shore of Vanishing Island', is stunningly haunting. Documenting erosion on Ghoramara, an island in the Delta region of West Bengal, Lee's award-winning photographs encapsulate a dramatic synthesis of fact and emotion. Through his lens, he opens the world's eyes to a problem so distant, yet so close. It is our energy consumption that has caused the emptiness of the farmer's glare; the fragility of the cow so desperately searching for water. The photograph is certainly powerful, its shocking whiteness contrasting with nothing but the empty brown of the ground, and the lines of the earth's hungry cracks pointing towards the two barely-living creatures, shrouded by the scarcity above. Yet its effect is only partly due to Lee's talent. We have caused this barren landscape. We have caused this desperation. We have caused this shock factor.
This is award winning art. This is making a difference.
Bono, Mr 'Do Good', has done good. Again. Edun, the luxury fashion brand he started with Ali Hewson in 2005 and now owned by LVMH, is simply stunning. Promoting trade in Africa by sourcing production throughout the continent, it is as good to humanity as it is to the eye. Taking the world back to the bounty and beauty of Eden, thread by thread. Explore it here.
We love our Founding Members. We really do. Why? Their wonderful personalities, infectious spirits and success stories are all fantastic, but there is something else far more unique that we highly respect: their spirit of generosity and remarkable knack for making a difference.
Take Ben Goldsmith, for example, who this week helped to launch the Oceana Junior Committee in London, at the same time promoting the urgent need for under water conservation.
He managed to fill the glitzy Phillips Auction House with nearly 400 young, determined people including Stephanie Bilet, Georgia Pownwall, Matt Langton and Lady Gabriella Windsor. He managed to entertain them with the dulcet tones of Newton Faulkner. He managed to make them laugh. He managed to let them all know about the dangers faced by sea life today. Most importantly, he managed to teach them how to make a difference, and inspired them to do so.
The event was a huge success: a group of young people having fun, encompassed by an enviable combination of lesson-learning and glamour.
We can't all necessarily manage as much as Ben, but why not give it a go?
Have a look at Oceana here, or our charities page, and see which cause you would like to make a difference to. Because, you know, you really can.
One of our most popular charities is, undoubtedly, Walking with the Wounded. An organisation dedicated to the rehabilitation of wounded service men and women, it aims to set them apart as heroes and characters of steely determination, unfaltering willpower and complete and utter brilliance.
And let us tell you, the men and women involved are remarkable. Truly, truly, remarkable. Having faced unthinkable injuries and made their way through the long, dark journeys back to relative 'normality', the group - including the smiley Guy Disney and forever-jolly Ibby Ali - decided to continue their efforts. Up Everest, to the North Pole, and now the South. Why not?
These amazing men and women are just the tip of the iceberg (no pun intended) of the remarkable spirits the organisation helps. They have done a phenomenal job to raise awareness of their plight, and demonstrate just how far the human can go. Not only that, they are some of the nicest men and women. Ever. And we know, having fundraised with them at Polo in the Park this summer, and holding our soft launch DonateADrink in their honour.
We suggest you tune in to ITV at 8pm tonight for the first episode of 'Harry's South Pole Heroes', a mini-series following these determined souls. See why their patron loves them, see why we love them, and start to fall in love with them yourselves, too.
'Some people do not think it is cool to help others - personally I think it is the coolest thing in the world'. YES HARRY. Just what we like to hear!
Today people did something good. 12,000 school children filed in to Wembley Arena to see Clive Owen, Ellie Goulding, Prince Harry and other glittery celebrities tell them just how good it is to give.
They were there for the UK's first We Day Event, which was dedicated to educating Britain's youth and inspire them take take action. To make a change. They call it a social revolution. So do we. One that needs to happen.
Have a look at the We Day website here, to see just what the absolutely incredible organisation do. Or just stick with us - the same message, the same goals, just slightly smaller and more sparkly (don't tell them we said that!).
Well that was fun. We're all a bit worse for wear this morning at The Society HQ. After filling out the City's Steam and Rye, owned by nightclub-absolute-winner Nick House and his beautiful sidekick Kelly Brook, we are basking in the £1000+ that we raised. Some naughty animal behaviour was had by the huge group of Oxbridge graduates and friends, having indulged in canapés and drinks provided by the wonderful Harry Bromptons Ice Tea. Lots of laughter and lots of bruising this morning, we're sure. Perfect. We just feel sorry for that poor giraffe. We don't think he has had that much action in a while...
Look how easy it is!!!!
Our friend Cara has been making headlines yet again this week, but not for any fashion related business. This time, she has actually managed to get the plight of PETA to the front pages. Her crime? Kissing the head of a tiger. A gorgeous cub named Louise. Apparently, because the tiger was older than the 'legal' age of such intimate contact with humans, Louise could have easily killed Delevigne and her companions. Goodness, we knew sexual relations were controversial, but not dangerous. Hmm.
There were other reasons that this escapade made headlines, with the ranch owner having had his exhibiting license revoked in 2001. Obviously, this is something to be reprimanded as completely and utterly irresponsible. But we ask. Is this the sort of animal rights malarky that should be making headlines? Yes, more people now know that PETA exist, but not what they do or why. Why aren't the poor rhinos and elephants, who are being poached left, right and centre, given as much airtime and Louise's love life? Why don't people seem to care as much about the poor dogs and cats of Battersea Dogs Home? It's local, so it can't be that bad, right?
Cara, if you have enough power to let the world know a tiger's legal age limit, go to a game reserve in Africa and let people know about what really happens to the elephants who splash each other gaily with water for all safari-goers and Attenborough-viewers to see. Or better yet, get your backside across the river, my dear, and go and frolic with some puppies.
When one goes to Vienna, one wants to go old school. To spend days meandering around majestic streets in horse-drawn carriages, exploring the rich and never ending history played out in front of one's very eyes. To warm themselves up with a beautiful tort in one of the country's infamous coffee houses when one is too cold, quite frankly, to do anything else.
So one should stay in a majestic, moth-ball and wine red hotel, right? Luckily, on a recent visit, we were drawn to just the opposite.
The Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom was our minimalist home for the weekend. A sharp interruption to the gothic skyline, this glass tower is as remarkable as it is unexpected. With stark, white walls, a beautifully escapist spa and Hermès soaps (yes, you read that correctly), it is the perfect place to reinvigorate one's 21st Century senses. To return home to and sip a cosy cocktail in, looking out over the city. To wake up and drink a Bloody Mary in, gazing at St Mark's Basilica or the Wien. Just look at that view.
But the best part? Like its Sofitel sisters, the Vienna Stephansdom is committed to 'Plant for the Planet', a UN initiative which ensures the hotel plant a tree for every four reused towels. Not only does this actively encourage recycling, it goes a stage further to develop the worlds forests even more, not just protect them. Why stay anywhere else? When in Vienna, go modern. Go powerful.
Click here for more details on this remarkable project.
We thought that we would take you back a while to Miami. To a scorching hot day with the sky as blue as the sand was white. The scene: beach volleyball, with some of the most beautiful people we had ever seen. The cause: Models4Water, a group that came together to raise enough money to build two wells in Burkina Faso. Dozens of models flooded the beach to create a fiercely competitive and remarkably productive day out. The lesson: Fundraising can be fun. It can be exciting. It can be BEAUTIFUL (just LOOK at them!). Click here to see just what they accomplished.
We LOVE Stella McCartney. Not just because she and her designs are incredibly stylish, incredibly gorgeous and incredibly fun (see above), but because they are incredibly sustainable, too. McCartney knows how to play around, sending Cara and co down the catwalk shining brighter smiles and bolder dance moves than Paris Fashion Week has seen before. But she also knows how to make her brand as ethical as it is fun-loving. This season, all the wood used in her accessories (such as the shoes seen on the catwalk above), is FSC Certified, emphasising the brand's commitment to responsible forest management. So we suggest you go out, buy some of those gorgeous items and do your bit to keep the world's forests as beautiful and hospitable as they are today. After all, every little helps...
It is only apt that we begin this blog by marking out someone truly wonderful. Spotted around social media today, Ruby Bridges is the little face became one of the bravest in American history. Entering an all-white school at only 6 years old, she faced death threats, the protests of now empty hallways and needed constant protection from U.S. Marshalls. But with a little help from her mumma’s daily prayers and a touch of bravery, she helped pave the way to an America of equality.
What will you do today?
SocietyRedressed is the interactive component of The Society of Young Philanthropists.
We don’t do enough good. No one does. With unlimited possibilities for living a truly ‘good’ life, we just sit back and choose to interpret ‘good’ as enjoyable. As fun. As lazy.
But there’s more to life. Rather than just enjoying the good, it is about doing good. And whilst this may seem incredibly boring, threateningly futile and just far too much effort, I am talking about something that surpasses writing cheques and braving cold nights to feed the homeless. There is a world of excitement, of opportunity and glamour which holds ‘doing good’, the real good at its heart. Fashion, luxury, lifestyle and society. As it should be. Welcome to SocietyRedressed.
