The GREAT Inititiative - Gender Right & Equality Trust

The GREAT Initiative Launch Event

The trustees are delighted to announce that the launch of The GREAT Initiative at the Corinthia Hotel on Thursday 19th May raised in excess of £500,000.

We would like to thank all our generous guests and donors on the evening. A special thank you was given to The Corinthia hotel for their generosity and for providing the most wonderful and glamorous setting in London for the hugely successful event.  Guests included the Deputy prime minister, Colin Firth, Cuba Gooding Jr, Helen Fielding, Laura Bailey, Nick Clegg and Miriam Gonzalez, Sarah Brown, Jemima Khan and Chris Evans.
 
GREAT are proud to announce that every penny of the money raised would go directly to selected gender equality grass roots projects in Africa.  

Guests enjoyed a champagne and canapés reception in the exquisite setting of the Corinthia’s super Massimo’s Restaurant – with canapés designed and created by Massimo himself, an accomplished Italian chef famed for his obsession with fish and seafood. Then, we went to the stunning ballroom, where they were treated to an unforgettable performance from Mark Knopfler. Dinner was prepared by Corinthia’s Executive Chef Garry Hollihead.

Highlights of the evening included the auction that included the Stratocaster guitar that Mark Knopfler donated after his performance.  An anonymous guest bid a staggering £45k for the guitar which he thereafter immediate handed back to Mr Knopfler in praise of his marvellous performance.  Mr Knopfler to roars of applause put his guitar up for auction again whereupon a mystery French guest bid a staggering further £30k for the guitar.   Few guitars can claim to have done so much to fight against gender inequality in Africa!
 
This amazing generosity was indicative of the spirit of the evening and of all the guests’ support given to GREAT and the fight against gender inequality.  The guests were spurred on in the auction by passionate speeches from charity Trustees Mariella Frostrup and Karen Ruimy, video messages from Renée Zellweger and Annie Lennox and a beautiful speech from Bineta Diop of Femmes Africa Solidarité (who Time Magazine has just listed as one of the 100 most influential people in the world). Femmse Africa Solidarité’s projects are one of the main recipients of GREAT’s fundraising on the night.

Mariella Frostrup said: ‘It feels like the beginning of a new charity and a new form of feminism that sees men and women side by side in the battle against gender inequality.  It is us that have learnt from the women in Africa and this is our way of saying thank you to them’.
 
Jason Mccue said: ’As a group of friends we wanted to find some way of fighting gender inequality around the world.  What started as a small BUT great initiative just turned into something bigger AND greater than we had expected.  We haven’t been able to stop thanking people since their generosity last night. It’s amazing to think that all that money will be heading to grass root projects in a matter of weeks’.
 
 
Matthew Dixon, General Manager, Corinthia Hotel London said: ‘We are honoured to support such an important cause as the GREAT Initiative, and thrilled that this gala event has helped raise the profile and funds that enable the organisation to reach a global audience.  As one of London’s newest leading five star hotels, we were truly delighted to offer our hospitality on such a significant occasion’.

A list of whom can be found on the sponsors page.