In November 2010, Rachael Stirling approached Bonnie (who runs this website) and asked she would help her to raise £5,000 for the Too Many Women campaign for Breakthrough Breast Cancer. The aim of the campaign is for 201 women, called ambassadors, to each pledge to raise £5,000 with the help of up to 9 friends, called associates. Rachael is an ambassador and Bonnie became one of her associates. So the challenge was set and Bonnie knew that she could use the website as both publicity and an actual place from which to run our little campaign.
The major part of our fundraising was a charity auction of various items which Rachael donated to the cause, including props, original episode scripts and a DVD from Tipping the Velvet (in which she starred as Nan King), the opportunity to meet and have afternoon tea with Rachael Stirling herself, a DVD of Lip Service that was signed by Rachael's theatre co-star, friend and Lip Service star Fiona Button, as well as signed photographs of both Rachael and Fiona. We also had a donation from website visitor Lisa of a copy of The Priory playscript, signed by several cast members. The auction ran from 18th-28th May 2011 and raised £2,179.71… nearly half our target!
We also have a page up at JustGiving to which people can donate. Please do, even if it's only a tiny amount — every penny counts! In July, a fab lady called Nyree Scott said that she would chop all of her hair off if we reached £5,000. The donations from her friends, family and colleagues came rolling in then. Pyramid fundraising at its finest!
We have reached our target, as of 31st July 2011! Thank you so much everyone. You can still continue to donate, though. (Oh, and yes, Nyree did chop off her hair!)
Thanks from Rachael…
To all the kind and generous people who gave money to this cause,
I whooped with joy upon hearing that we had hit our target.
Thank you for the generosity of everyone. All donations big and small counted vitally and the money raised is even now helping doctors and scientists to fight this disease and to ease the pain of those suffering with it.
The biggest thanks to Nyree who must be an extraordinary woman to undertake to shave her head for the cause. It is an act of such grace and bravery and I am in awe.
And an even bigger thanks to Bonnie who has made all this possible and put in hours and hours of time which has made the thing happen in the first place.
I think my fans and followers are unbelievably cool.
I know I am a very lucky girl indeed.
Thank you for making this possible.
Love to you all
Rachael
— Rachael Stirling, 4th August 2011
Auction
The auction launched at 7.30pm on Wednesday 18th May 2011, and ran until 7.30pm on Saturday 28th May 2011. All items were listed for auction on eBay, with the exception of the gold painted phallus and harness from Tipping the Velvet, which eBay said we were not allowed to list! That was available in a private auction here on our website.
Tipping the Velvet prop: phallus and harness
The gold-painted replica Victorian phallus and harness, manufactured by a saddler for the BBC. Used as a prop in 2002 BBC television drama "Tipping the Velvet" (Episode 2), when Nan Astley/King (Rachael Stirling) is at the home of Diana Lethaby (Anna Chancellor). This item had been in Rachael Stirling's possession since filming ended on the 2002 drama.
As this was the headline item in our auction, we created a dedicated page for it: more about the gold painted phallus and harness.
WINNER: Kiki Payan won this item for £600 (7 bids)
Tipping the Velvet prop: Miss Nan King door name plate
The "Miss Nan King" name plate from the dressing room door of the character Nan King, played by Rachael Stirling. It featured during the third episode of "Tipping the Velvet" when the character of Nan returned to the stage with the encouragement of her sweetheart Flo Banner (Jodhi May). This item had been in Rachael Stirling's possession since filming ended on the 2002 drama.
WINNER: Lucie King won this item for £210 (4 bids)
Savoy Hotel afternoon tea with Rachael Stirling
The opportunity to meet Rachael Stirling for Traditional Afternoon Tea: an hour's worth of tea, cakes, sandwiches and chat at the Savoy Hotel in London, in the Thames Foyer.
WINNER: Stuart and Julia won this item for £440 (6 bids)
Please read our special feature where we caught up with Rachael, Stuart and Julia after the event, to see how it went: SPECIAL FEATURE: Afternoon tea at the Savoy with Rachael Stirling.
Tipping the Velvet original script: Episode 1
An original BBC script, complete with handwritten notes by Rachael Stirling, for Episode 1 of "Tipping the Velvet". This item had been in Rachael Stirling's possession since filming ended on the 2002 drama.
WINNER: Nicola won this item for £225 (13 bids)
Tipping the Velvet original script: Episode 2
An original BBC script, complete with handwritten notes by Rachael Stirling, for Episode 2 of "Tipping the Velvet". This item had been in Rachael Stirling's possession since filming ended on the 2002 drama.
WINNER: Someone won this item for £160 (14 bids)
Tipping the Velvet original script: Episode 3
An original BBC script, complete with handwritten notes by Rachael Stirling, for Episode 3 of "Tipping the Velvet". This item had been in Rachael Stirling's possession since filming ended on the 2002 drama.
WINNER: Christine won this item for £155 (10 bids)
The Priory autographed play script
An autographed copy of the play script from the 2009 play "The Priory" (Royal Court Theatre, London). Autographed by cast members Rachael Stirling, Jessica Hynes, Rupert Penry-Jones, Alistair McKenzie and Joseph Millson. It also includes a promotional flyer for the play. This item was donated by website visitor Lisa.
WINNER: Lowi won this item for £28 (8 bids)
Tipping the Velvet DVD autographed by Rachael Stirling
An autographed DVD copy of Tipping the Velvet, signed and personalised by Rachael Stirling.
WINNER: Deb won this item for £94 (27 bids)
Lip Service DVD autographed by Fiona Button
An autographed DVD copy of Lip Service, signed and personalised by Fiona Button.
WINNER: Lisa won this item for £48.89 (13 bids)
10 x Rachael Stirling autographed photos
10 x autographed and personalised photos of Rachael Stirling.
WINNERS: Coranne Fleming, Jan Freeman, Geoffrey Cuming, Paige Daughtrey, Kiki Payan, Lowi and four other bidders won these items and raised a total of £173.87 (120 bids)
10 x Fiona Button autographed photos
10 x autographed and personalised photos of Fiona Button.
WINNERS: CJ Robinson, Danielle Tweedale, Klee, Doodleanne, Loren Rickard, Emily Shinsato, Vanessa Goemaere, Julie, Nyree and one other bidder won these items and raised a total of £44.95 (32 bids)
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