Live Zoom brought together Joanna Lumley OBE, Miriam Margolyes OBE, Julie Etchingham, Timothy West and Dame Rosalind Marsden KCMG – all Patrons of Kids for Kids – supporters from around the world, and our Founder Patricia Parker MBE and Trustee Alastair King-Smith, to celebrate 20 years of helping children the rest of the world has forgotten, on 8th March this year – International Women’s Day. “It’s hard to believe it was 20 years ago when 19 influential ladies joined me in Khartoum to see how we could help the invisible families in Darfur” said Patricia. “That was the birth of Kids for Kids all those years ago. And we’re not stopping now!”
If you missed the celebration, you can still catch up – or re-live it – via the link at the end of this article and, if you would like to make a donation as a birthday present for our 20th Birthday please do consider donating to The Greatest Need to help children in Darfur now when they need us the most.
In what can only be described as an emotional night, Patricia regaled the audience with stories from across the years -from how she started the charity all those years ago, to how she and her son Alastair, now one of the charity’s Trustees, were kidnapped at gunpoint, to the thousands of people that the Charity has supported through the years.
With special birthday messages from long time volunteer Hazel Oberst who has volunteered for 19.5 years, and Beverley Wheeler who has supported the charity from 1994, to Sage Lancaster who first heard of Kids for Kids when just 7 years old, becoming a successful fundraiser including working for the charity before restarting her studies this year, and Omniat Osman, a new Sudanese supporter, and, from Sudan, Hatim Abu Sineina our dedicated Volunteer Chairman in Khartoum who has supported Kids for Kids for the entire 20 years.
Highlights included former Ambassador and EU Representative to Sudan, Dame Rosalind Marsden, who brought us up to date with events in Sudan, and in particular how these affected Darfur which has historically always experienced the worst deprivation and suffering.
One of the most memorable and joyful moments of the evening was being joined by the one and only Joanna Lumley, a Patron of many years, who spoke to Patricia about the charity and the amazing work it has achieved and also what is in store for the next 20 years. In addition to helping as many new villages as possible – three in 2021 to celebrate our 20th Birthday – Trees for the Future is a long term plan including a plantation of Moringa trees whose seeds can be used to purify water.
In Joanna’s own words ‘ I love the idea of trees healing the earth, they seem to be wise old beings’
But that was not all! Joining in the birthday messages were Julie Etchingham whose moving tribute to Kids for Kids set the scene for the evening, Miriam Margolyes who joined us from Tuscany and the much loved Timothy West all told us their reasons for supporting Kids for Kids.
Both Timothy and Julie said they were already looking forward to the Candlelit Christmas concert this year as it ‘ brings hope to people who are desperately in need.’ Please Note: there are plans for a full live Concert at St Peter’s Eaton Square in London on Thursday 2nd December with the wonderful choirs from Queen’s Gate School. “We are expecting a sell out” said Patricia “who is not longing to be with friends and celebrate together?”
The fun didn’t end there, with a quiz to keep people on their toes with a few trick questions thrown in – and to finish off, a collective redition of Happy Birthday over Zoom from all over the world – perhaps a little out of tune but the joy and celebration were palpable!
It was an evening filled with love and support. Thank you everyone for joining us to celebrate our FIRST twenty years.
. . .Here’s to the Future!
We are so incredibly lucky to have such fabulous Patrons and supporters.
Listen to some of the wonderful 20th Birthday messages we received in March 2021 from our Patrons, Joanna Lumley OBE, Miriam Margolyes OBE, Timothy West CBE, Julie Etchingham, and our volunteers and supporters, Hatim Abu Sineina, Hazel Oberst, Beverley Wheeler, Sage Lancaster and Omniat Osman.
If you were unable to join us live on Monday 8th March or would like to share the celebrations with friends and family, you can access a recording of the full Event here.
We asked everyone who joined us on 8th March to make a donation and we would be so grateful if you could do the same. Please do consider donating to The Greatest Need to help children in Darfur now when they need us the most.
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Registered Charity No: 1100045. A Company limited by Guarantee Registered in England & Wales No: 04607292. Recognised by the Humanitarian Aid Commission in The Sudan as a Charitable Foundation.
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