Back in February, artist Lisa De Prudhoe, Wendy and Molly from The Wendy Levy Art Gallery in Didsbury and Didsbury Life, set ourselves the very ambitious target of raising £20,000 for Unicef’s relief effort in Haiti. Lisa very generously donated her canvas and the Wendy Levy Art Gallery and Didsbury Life set about raising awareness of the campaign. In a very short space of time, we’d set up a website which could take donations, a Twitter account and a Facebook account.

From a conversation about the possibilities, suddenly money started to come in and we realised that we were in a position where we could make a little bit of difference to some people still suffering in Haiti. As the days passed however, the emphasis on Haiti was pushed further down the news agenda, as other events took over. The devastating Chilean earthquake just served to remind us of how Mother Nature, in other circumstances so beautiful and awe-inspiring, can equally be monumentally destructive. The Icelandic volcano was also headline news for awhile. People did without question suffer as a result of this particular force of nature, but I for one would rather have an enforced, albeit unexpected and expensive, addition to a trip abroad, than have to be living through the daily horrors that the people of Haiti are still doing.

Haiti

It would have been easy to let the campaign slide, as Haiti slid out of the news. Ater all, none of us were being paid for doing this and we all have other full time jobs. However, what motivated all of us, was the thought that people – very ordinary people just like us, who on the 12 January were going about their ordinary, everyday business – now face a future that is so uncertain and frightening. So, we didn’t let it slide and we kept up the tweets, and the blog updates and the continuous haranguing of everyone on our collective mailing lists.

And now, even though we didn’t hit the £20,000 target, at the time of the draw we’d hit a very respectable £6,919. Some people may view that as s having failed in our attempt. We don’t see it that way. Without this effort, and the immense generosity of friends, colleagues and people we’ve never met, Unicef now has almost £7,000 more than they would have without our project. And, I think we’d all agree, £7,000 is not a sum to be sniffed at!

However, this isn’t the end. Donations can still be made until 8th May – although the draw has been done, we feel that there is enough generosity of spirit out there, for people to just donate.

And – further plans are being hatched. Once you have the bit between your teeth, it’s hard to let go…

A huge thank you to everyone who donated – and once again, congratulations to our winner, Michael Ross.

Please click on the link in the top right hand corner and make your donation today.

Thank you.

Wendy Levy explains why it is still crucial that we get behind this project…

Please donate

Nearly three months after the January 12th earthquake, the scene remains grim. An impoverished city of three million people – long without adequate sanitation or waste management – has been reduced to a patchwork of ruins and fetid shanty settlements.

As the first torrents of the rainy season pour down and the hurricane season looms, hundreds of thousands of people live in makeshift shelters with little or no access to sanitation, many on slopes where they could be swept away by mudslides, others on patches of low-lying ground that will inevitably become a toxic stew of mud, garbage, and human waste.

Children remain out of school and the medical infrastructure of Port-au-Prince lies in ruins.

Things will inevitably only get worse, before they begin to get better. However, we can make a difference to these people in a situation that for us, is unimaginable. For as little as £5, you can help. The more raffle tickets you buy, the more you can help. And one person out there will be a winner, with an original work of art to hang on their wall. Slightly more than most than most Haitians have currently…

Simply click on the “Donate Now” link to the right and purchase a raffle ticket online via our secure payment page or if you are in the Didsbury vicinity, you can purchase raffle tickets from Didsbury Life [212 Burton Rd M20 2LW] or Wendy J Levy Art GAllery [Warburton Street M20 6WA]. The canvas will be available to view at Didsbury Life until May 1st when the raffle will be drawn.

Currently, we’re just short of £3000, but we’re realistic enough to know how these things work. We’ve had lots of promises of purchases of tickets, and poeple will come back and be true to their word. However, now’s the time for action. What about this weekend, instead of buying three Easter eggs, why not buy two and donate the difference to our Haiti Appeal? Even better, forget the Easter eggs and donate the lot – how good will that make you feel? We’re helping you stay trim and you’re doing your bit to help people who won’t be spending the Easter weekend in quite the same way as you…

Just in case you need a reminder of why we’re doing what we’re doing -

Please donate...

Donate to our appeal & make a difference...

Please donate...

Make a difference today...

Do someone else a good turn this Easter...

It’s so easy to make a difference – click through to the secure donations page in the top right hand corner. All monies will go directly to Unicef and you’ll receive notification of your raffle ticket number. Alternatively, if you’re in, or near, Didsbury you can always call into the Didsbury Life office [212 Burton Rd M20 2LW] and see the canvas, as well as buying a ticket[s]. Tickets can also purchased from the Wendy J Levy Art Gallery on Warburton Street [M20 6WA]. So you see, there are so manys that you can make a real difference to someone’s life this Easter…

Donate to A Painting For Haiti

It’s really fantastic that so many people are making donations, both on and off-line, to our Painting for Haiti Fundraising Effort. The appeal runs until May 1st, by which time we hope to have exciting news about the person who will do the official draw. It’s all a bit under wraps at the moment, but if it all goes according to plan…

We’re also hoping to post a video of Lisa De Prudhoe, very soon, explaining exactly why she decided to do this project. Lisa will hopefully be broadcasting in English, French and Spanish in the hope that we can reach a few more people.

We’re almost at £1500, so well on target to reach our goal of £20,000 by the end of April. If you are moved by the on-going situation in Haiti, please donate, either via our secure online donation page and buy a virtual raffle ticket or buy visiting Didsbury Life [212 Burton Rd, West Didsbury, Manchester M20 2LW] or the Wendy J Levy Art Gallery, Warburton Street, Didsbury, Manchester M20 6WA and purchase a real raffle ticket.

£1500 raised so far – £18500 to hit our target…

Donate to our Haiti appeal

Don’t forget that as well as our online donations page, you can actually buy raffle tickets from either the Wendy J Levy Art Gallery, on Warburton Street, Didsbury, Manchester M20 6WA or from Didsbury Life at 212 Burton Road, West Didsbury, Manchester M20 2LW. The tickets are £5 each. Wendy J Levy, Didsbury Life and Lisa De Prudhoe will not make any financial gain from this project – ALL monies raised will go immediately to the Unicef Haiti Appeal.

So – donate now and make a difference today…

The atmosphere at Miami’s Bongo’s restaurant, perched on top of the American Airlines Arena, was almost festive as an endless stream of Latin acts began to file inside.

They were there to record “Somos el Mundo,” the Spanish-language version of ” We Are the World,” and, heeding the spirit of the cause and the directions on the tip-sheet, there was little fanfare surrounding their arrival.

Artists had been instructed to be accompanied by no more than two people, and they paid heed to the instructions, arriving to the parking lot below, many parking their own cars, then waiting patiently in line to take the elevator upstairs. There, they mingled in a small waiting room as they signed posters and two guitars donated by Gibson, which would all be auctioned off a later date.

The only camera in the room for the session in the early evening of Feb. 19 was from the “Cristina” show, slated to premiere the video of the song in early March. Artists were then taken to a small red carpet that led to the basketball court where the Miami Heat trains, and which the arena provided for the shoot. There, against the simple backdrop of several gigantic posters with the “Somos el Mundo” emblem, some 50 artists (see full list below) stood in a semi-circle, lyrics in hand, and in less than two hours, with renditions getting increasingly more enthusiastic, the song and video were a wrap.

Producer Emilio Estefan and his wife Gloria Estefan came up with the idea of translating the song and releasing a version for the Spanish language market, with all proceeds also slated to go to the We Are the World Foundation benefiting Haiti.

“Somos el Mundo,” was produced by Emilio Estefan and Quincy Jones together with Univision Communications who funded the production (and provided the production team and cameras).

Development of the track and the logistics of the production were done at speed, with Estefan personally contacting artists in the past couple of weeks. The general recording date, Feb. 19, was chosen to coincide with the Premios Lo Nuestro awards show, which took place the evening before.

Although the artists who had solo lines – among them Gloria Estefan, José Feliciano, Chayanne, Thalía and Fonsi – pre-recorded their parts earlier during the week inside the recording studio, most (for a total of more than 50) nevertheless showed up for the taping of the video. Among those absent was Pitbull, who had a prior engagement but who recorded his a rap lines prior.

Artists, all dressed casually (black and gray pants or jeans and light tops seemed to predominate for men and women), got into their places with no fuss, veteran acts (including venerable bandleader Johnny Pacheco, dapper in a suit) next to young ones, regional Mexican bands next to rockers. They balanced headsets and hand clapping, initially a bit formally. By the third take, the group was in full relaxation mode, and shortly before 9 p.m., the deadline set by the venue, the last take ended in a champagne toast.

“Somos el Mundo” full artist list:

A.B. Quintanilla, Alacranes Musical (Omar y Memo), Alejandro Fernández, Aleks Syntek, Ana Bárbara, Andy García, Angélica María, Angélica Vale, Arthur Hanlon, La Arrolladora Banda, El Limón de René, Camacho, Aventura, Banda El Recodo, Carlos Santana, Chayanne, Cristian Castro, Christian Chávez, Cristina Saralegui, David Archuleta, Eiza, Eddy Herrera, Ednita Nazario, Fernando Villalona, Fonseca, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Gloria Estefan, Jencarlos Canela, Jenni Rivera, Johnny Pacheco, Jon Secada, Jorge Celedón, Jorge Moreno, Jorge Villamizar, José Feliciano, José Luis Rodriguez “El Puma”, Jocelyn, Juan Luis Guerra, Juanes, Kany García, Kat De Luna, K-Paz de la Sierra, Lena, Lisette, Lucero, Luis Enrique, Luis Fonsi, Luz Rios, Melina Leon, Milly Quezada, Montéz de Durango, Natalia Jiménez, Ojeda, Olga Tañón, Paquita la del Barrio, Paulina Rubio, Patricia Manterola, Pee Wee, Pitbull, Ricardo Montaner, Sergio Mayer, Taboo (Black Eyed Peas), Thalía, Tito “El Bambino”, Vicente Fernández, Willy Chirino

This article appeared on www.billboard.com

Haiti Appeal

Well – they did it! This morning, my form presented their assembly to a packed hall. The children arriving were greeted by the “We Are The World” official Haiti video. At over 8 minutes long, there was the potential for fidgeting and boredom creeping in – however, there wasn’t a sound to be heard from the audience of 12 & 13 year olds, as they watched some very famous celebrities giving up their time for an incredible cause.

Then it was over to the form representatives to explain what this assembly was all about. They had been rightly outraged by the news that U.S. troops have started to pull out of Haiti – as the saying goes, “Out of the mouths of babes…”

Elliott spoke to the hushed audience about the impact of this withdrawal of troops and how the fractured infrastructure will struggle even more to cope. He was genuinely angry about this situation and spoke with a passion I hadn’t witnessed from him before! Alekah and Rajpal, using a Powerpoint presentation, demonstrated the ways that we can donate – including “A Painting For Haiti” by Lisa De Prudhoe. I’m not sure how many raffle tickets we’ll sell to my Year 8s, but they loved the painting and at least it’s raised a bit more awareness. They’ve also decided to get a few fund raising efforts going in school too – so, thanks to A Painting For Haiti, I think I’ve now been roped into a sponsored silence [and if you know me, you'll know that isn't going to be easy!] as well as a sponsored fun run.  Thanks Year 8!

Raffle Update :

It’s great to see we’ve now raised our first £1000 – let’s keep donating and reach that £20,000. Don’t forget that if you’re in Didsbury, Greater Manchester you can view the canvas at Didsbury Life, 212 Burton Road, West Didsbury M20 2LW. You can also buy “real” [offline] raffle tickets from Didsbury Life or from the Wendy J Levy Art Gallery, Warburton Street, Didsbury M20 6WA.

Whilst we can be very cynical and declare that it’s all about celebrities raising their own profile [and yes, we can't get away from that fact of life], at least something is being done to keep this devastating event in the consciousness.

News very quickly becomes old news these days – it’s not the same as it was back in 1985 with Live Aid when we were all amazed that Phil Collins could play on two continents in one day. These days, an event – however good, bad, devastating or euphoric is generally forgotten very quickly, to be replaced by the next event.

The reason I’ve uploaded the two videos below, came about as a result of a conversation with some pupils in my form group at the school I work in.  It’s our turn to “do” assembly this week. Previous form groups have focused on football, bullying, friendships – all very laudable and very important to 13 year olds – and the assemblies were enjoyable in the way that only gauche & stage-frightened Year 8s can do. I decided that I’d give my form some “responsibility” – in other words, leave it all to them & when the tumbleweed tumbled across the stage I could think, “Ah well, it’s nothing to do with me!”

However, they’ve run with “responsibility” and as a form group, decided that people needed to be reminded that ‘Haiti’ is STILL happening. So, with military precision, Rajpal, Alekah, Xena, Elliott & Roisin have galvanised the troops and have put together an assembly that would put the celebrities below to shame.

If I can record it, I’ll post the results here [parental permission having been obtained first of course!] – and remember the names above. These five are determined to give Haiti a better future.

Now, if they can pledge that, surely you can pledge just £5…

Click on our donate link to buy an online raffle ticket [£5 each] – you could be the winner of a Lisa De Prudhoe acrylic canvas. Alternatively, if you’re in the UK, and can get to Didsbury, Manchester, come & view the canvas then buy a ticket[s] from either Didsbury Life, where it’s on show, or from the Wendy Levy Art Gallery.

Didsbury Life – 212 Burton Road, West Didsbury, Manchester, Uk M20 2LW

Wendy Levy Art Gallery – Warburton Street, Didsbury, Manchester, UK M20 6WA