Over the last few weeks, London has been taken over by life-sized statues of the world’s favourite furry Peruvian explorer as part of The Paddington Trail, sponsored by Barclaycard. Last night,[Wednesday 10 December] Paddington fans and famous faces came together at Christie’s for an auction of the first fifteen of these unique pieces of art – raising over £460,000 for the NSPCC and its ChildLine service – and to mark the start of the much-anticipated online auction.
The event attracted plenty of high-profile guests including Paddington producer David Heyman, Hollywood actors John Hurt and Hugh Grant and renowned artists Tracey Emin and Marc Quinn.
Guests enjoyed a Paddington-themed drinks reception complete with marmalade martinis before the auction which featured the first fifteen of the exclusive bears designed by celebrities including David Beckham, Sandra Bullock and Benedict Cumberbatch. All of the bears attracted heated bidding, but a particular favourite was Marc Quinn’s bear which fetched the most on the night – a fantastic £58,000. In addition to the specially designed bears, the auction featured a Paddington-inspired neon created by long-time NSPCC supporter, Tracey Emin, which raised a staggering £62,000.
Speaking about the event, NSPCC Chief Executive, Peter Wanless, said: “We’re delighted to be part of The Paddington Trail – a wonderful initiative which has helped raise awareness of the NSPCC and our ChildLine service. Thanks to our generous guests, we’ve raised a fantastic amount of money, helping our ChildLine counsellors be there for children this Christmas – many of whom may have nowhere else to turn. But this is just the beginning as the online auction is now open, giving everyone the chance to welcome Paddington into their homes in the same way as Mr and Mrs Brown took him into theirs in Michael Bond’s stories, whilst supporting our work.”
TV presenter Jonathan Ross said: “It’s wonderful to see how much the live auction has raised, and I know that it will make a huge difference for children across the UK. But it’s not over yet! My design – the very stylish ‘Futuristic Robot Bear’ – and many others are being auctioned online by Christie’s to help raise even more money for the NSPCC and their ChildLine service. Make sure you bid before the auction closes on 7 January for your chance to own a piece of The Paddington Trail and support a very worthy cause.”
The Paddington Trail has been brought to the capital by STUDIOCANAL, VisitLondon.com and the NSPCC to mark the release of Paddington, currently number one in UK cinemas. The Paddington Trail features statues designed by a host of artists and celebrities and will run until 30 December.
For your chance to own a piece of The Paddington Trail and support the NSPCC, bid in the online auction at www.christies.com/paddington which features designs by celebrities including Kate Moss, Ben Whishaw, Ant & Dec, Frankie Bridge and Take That, as well as Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.
To find out more about The Paddington Trail, visit www.visitlondon.com/paddington or follow #PaddingtonTrail
