Christmas in Fairyland raises over £500,000 for UNICEF

One of the most highly anticipated fundraising events of the year, Saturday night's (December 16) Christmas in Fairyland party was hosted by UNICEF UK Ambassadors Trudie Styler and Jemima Khan and the auction alone raised in excess of £500,000 for UNICEF's work for children and their families around the world who have been affected by emergencies.

Hugh Grant, Shirley Bassey, Courtney Love, Bella Freud, Trinny Constantine and David Furnish were among the guests at the star-studded event, who were treated to performances by Elton John and Sting.

All proceeds from the event, which included a raffle and a silent and live auction, that took place at London's Dorchester hotel will go directly to help support UNICEF's General Emergency Fund.

Increasing numbers of children and women around the world are being affected by natural disasters, conflict, or other forms of crisis. UNICEF's General Emergency Fund provides life-saving assistance to children affected by emergencies, such as medical supplies, water and sanitation and education, protecting their rights in any circumstances, no matter how difficult.

Trudie Styler and Jemima Khan are both long-standing supporters of UNICEF. In November 2005, Trudie Styler received the highest accolade bestowed on a UNICEF Ambassador - the Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award - for her longstanding commitment to UNICEF. The award recognises her contribution to UNICEF's work for the survival, protection and development of women and children worldwide.
Jemima Khan became a UNICEF UK Ambassador in September 2001 and has been passionately campaigning for children and their right to grow up in a world where they can be healthy, educated and free from hate and conflict ever since.

More recently Jemima Khan returned to Pakistan with Trudie Styler to report on the anniversary of the Pakistan Earthquake.

UNICEF receives no funding from the UN and is supported entirely by voluntary contributions, making events like this so vital. The money raised from the party will enable UNICEF to reach many hundreds of thousands more children worldwide.