A prestigious fundraising event was held at London’s iconic Natural History Museum on the evening of 22nd June 2024.
The Feathers Animal Masquerade Grand Ball celebrated The Feathers Association’s 90th Anniversary. The charity, established in 1934 by the then Prince of Wales, who later became Edward VIII has been a beacon of support for vulnerable communities across the UK. All proceeds from the night will be split between The Feathers Association and its partner charity, The Ecoflix Foundation.
The fundraiser featured performances from Birmingham Royal Ballet, including beautiful extracts from David Bintley’s award-winning ballet Still Life at the Penguin Café, alongside a 30-minute private concert by multi-Grammy nominee Leona Lewis OBE and a DJ set by Marvin Humes of JLS and KISS FM fame.
Guests on the night included international royalty, aristocracy, high-net-worth families, and award-winning actors and singers, including Feathers Ambassador Keeley Hawes, Esai Morales, Adrian Lester CBE, Indira Varma, Susan Wokoma, Nathaniel Curtis, and Deborah Frances-White, among others.
The evening’s auction included a meet & greet with The Pope at Vatican City, A Day with Culture Club’s Roy Hay to write a song and a NASA Astronaut Training session, amongst other lots, and all funds raised on the night will be split between two incredible causes;
The Feathers Association, which aims to raise money for a £3.5 million renovation project of its first Community Centre in Marylebone. This centre, in operation since 1975, is in desperate need of an upgrade. The renovation will include a state-of-the-art gym and updated recording studios, providing the community with creative opportunities and a safe haven to support their physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
The Ecoflix Foundation hopes to continue its work in producing and distributing inspiring and educational videos on the Ecoflix Channel – the first non-profit streaming channel dedicated to saving animals and the planet. The foundation also supports efforts to save vulnerable species worldwide, including whales, elephants, and unique wildlife in Botswana, and addresses the harmful practice of farmers burning crop residue.
David Jones, CEO of The Feathers Association said:“ Celebrating our 90th Anniversary was always going to be an iconic and important occasion, one that could also raise significant funds for the urgent work and support we provide here in London and now across the UK as we continue our strategic growth. The enchanting Feathers Animal Ball, held at the iconic Natural History Museum, was a tremendous celebration of everything that we stand for, creating memorable experiences for all involved in the delivery and our guests able to join us on the evening.
All money raised via the auction, facilitated by Bonham’s, and the donations pledged throughout the evening by those in the room, will support our projects, young people and families far beyond just the one night.”
Aimée Anderson, Vice Chair of Trustees for The Feathers Association and President of The Feathers Animal Ball said: “We were keen to host and introduce a very different kind of fundraising event and that meant being incredibly bold and brave. Inspired by Bridgerton, we decided to go back to our days of old, to bring back the old glamour of White Tie High Society Grand Balls, while injecting a bit of fun and creativity with the Animal Masquerade theme.
We edged away from hard selling, raffles and long speeches, so that those able to attend were treated to a truly magical celebration, where the focus was on only those in the room enjoying a spectacular event, in the knowledge it was for two very good and critical causes!
David Casselman, Founder and CEO of The Ecoflix FoundVarma ation said: “Ecoflix is very proud to be partnering with such a prestigious organisation such as the Feathers Association. It is in our DNA to support such amazing causes. Ecoflix was founded to support outstanding nonprofit entities making real impact. The first Feathers Animal Ball saw us collectively celebrate bringing people and planet together in a unique way, like never before in London.”
