Independent Online Edition > This Britain: "Conspicuous giving: And it's all in a good cause
From a £60,000 Kate Moss kiss to an ill-advised £400 signed copy of the Hutton report, auctions have become a high-profile but essential source of funds for charities. Jonathan Brown reports
Published: 26 May 2006
It is a world of glamour, unbridled luxury and lavish excess. A place where celebrities and the mega-rich can relax, mingle with their own kind and flash a little bit of their hard-earned cash - all of it, of course, in a good cause.
The charity auction has become one of the places to be seen in recent years and the summer season of conspicuous giving is well and truly upon us.
For the charities battling for the hearts, minds and wallets of the giving public, raising cash and battling donor fatigue is an ongoing struggle. From cancer research to Aids, child welfare to the environment, the ability to fill a room with well-heeled, well-oiled and, most importantly, generous donors has become central to the fund-raising effort.
The core of the strategy is being able to pack a fashionable venue with an A-list of guests. Salesmen and women are put to work to sell the tables. City firms are obvious targets, home to many high-rollers. A typical table for an up-market bash can start at £5,000.
The next step is to stock up with a range of 'money can't buy' lots. According to Stewart Edmonds of Terrence Higgins Trust, an exclusive experience, rather than an item that once belonged to a celebrity, always proves the biggest draw.
For example, he says, Terrence Higgins Trust, thanks to its close relations with George Michael's partner Kenny Goss, was able to offer a night out with the couple that reached £10,000 under intense bidding. Another of its most successful offers has been taking tea with Joan Rivers or dinner at the House of Lords with Lord Archer. 'The auction format is now fundamental to our fund-raising programme and it is a fun way to"
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