Category: Latest

Stars Shine for Battersea Dogs & Cats Home’s Annual Collars & Coats Gala Ball

The visual spectacle that is Battersea Dogs & Cats Home’s once again wowed the world last night with the return of the Collars & Coats Gala Ball at the iconic Battersea Evolution in London.

Celebrating its seventh successful year, the high-profile event is a highlight of the autumn social calendar, and is consistently regarded as one of the most unique and eagerly anticipated charity events.

The annual charity extravaganza saw a host of UK and international stars take to the red carpet for this worthwhile cause to raise vital funds for Battersea Dogs & Cats Home’s work in rescuing and re-homing abandoned dogs. This year’s star line-up, from the world of TV, music, film, sport and fashion, included: Battersea Ambassador Dame Jacqueline Wilson, Hilary Devey, Craig Revel-Horwood, Anthony Head, Nicky Clarke, Kelly Simpkin, Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Dr Christian Jessen, Rosie Marcel, Sue Barker, photographer Rankin, and Debbie Sledge of the iconic music group Sister Sledge.

The theme of the event this year was ‘Transformation’ to celebrate Battersea’s ability to transform dog’s lives, whilst its London site itself transforms with the construction of new facilities for its animals. Making a very welcome return was the popular ‘Battersea Doggie Guard Of Honour’ – a red-carpet parade of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home’s pooches.

Other highlights of this year’s event included an eclectic performance by music legend and Roxy Music frontman Bryan Ferry as well as a performance by classical cross-over singer Camilla Kerslake. Battersea ambassadors and supporters including Dr Christian Jessen, Anthony Head and Dame Jacqueline Wilson united on stage to highlight the work and achievements of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.

High profile guests and celebrities also enjoyed the opportunity to bid for an array of money can’t buy experiences at the event’s exclusive auction.

Speaking about the return of the gala, Claire Horton, Battersea’s Chief Executive said: “The Collars & Coats Gala Ball was a truly unique event, celebrating our animals and raising money to care for the 9,000 dogs and cats that come through our gates, abandoned and terrified each year. Once again, we’re thrilled that so many supporters and friends of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home gave so generously of their time to make the event so successful.’’

This year’s Collars & Coats Gala Ball was proudly sponsored by Henry Wiltshire International, a leading estate agent in London who works across local, national and international markets delivering unrivalled customer service through the commitment of its team. With two offices in London (Nine Elms and Canary Wharf) Henry Wiltshire International provide expert Sales, Lettings and Property Management services both locally and to their international clientele through their offices based in Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong and Singapore. Speaking about the partnership with the Home, Kelly Gallagher, Director of Henry Wiltshire International said: ‘It was a pleasure for Henry Wiltshire International to support such a worthwhile and important event and help raise money for a fantastic cause.’

The Collars & Coats VIP area, an exclusive area for VIPs and celebrity guests was sponsored by Battersea Power Station Development Company. They said: ‘On behalf of the Battersea Power Station shareholders, Battersea Power Station Development Company was delighted to support our neighbour with this incredible charity event.’

It costs Battersea over £10m to care for its dogs and cats every year, and with no government funding, the Collars & Coats Gala Ball is all about helping to increase awareness of the important work the charity does each and every day of the year to offer a second chance in life to thousands of animals. Last year nearly 9,000 dogs and cats needed Battersea’s care and attention to help find them the best possible new homes.

For further information on Battersea Dogs & Cats Home and to pledge donations, please visit www.battersea.org.uk or call 0207 627 7883.

2nd December 2015
INTRODUCING THE EXHIBITIONIST HOTEL – LONDON’S BEST KEPT SECRET

The Exhibitionist Hotel is the next generation in luxury boutique art hotels. It expertly merges British heritage, unique design and an appreciation of modern lifestyle, within beautifully restored 18th Century London town houses in the heart of Knightsbridge on Queensberry Place.

The Exhibitionist Hotel is the hotel destination of choice for today’s modern, busy traveller, offering a warm welcome, first-class hospitality and uber-luxurious bespoke touches, guaranteed to make your visit one to remember.

Celebrating the limitless nature of the artistic license, The Exhibitionist Hotel promotes leading artworks with eight dedicated galleries within its walls, offering a blank canvas for iconic artists to exhibit their work. Currently corridors are adorned by the work of artists such as Sarah Pope, whose work has featured in the Saatchi and Saatchi Gallery, and the Paris based Mariana Thome, which will be transformed regularly with new artists, exhibitions and events, creating an exclusive experience for each guests’ stay. The Exhibitionist Hotel also features an eclectic concept room, The Backroom, which honours the craft of art with hand-inked wall paintings. Currently on display is an illustrative piece by Le Gun which, by blending punk, occult, pop and surrealist aesthetics, creates an idiosyncratic imagery.

With an intimate feel, The Exhibitionist Hotel has just 37 fantastically-designed bedrooms, all featuring bespoke furniture, fittings and custom-made headboards. Each room combines tranquil relaxation with ultra-comfort, including specially-designed cashmere and horse hair mattresses by Hypnos. Other quaint touches include a personalized scent for each room, in-room spa treatments from Viva Therapies and personal shopping by renowned VIP stylist Lucy Packman. Guests have the option to book such services before they settle-in either through the Hotel’s reception or via The Exhibitionist App, providing guests the ultimate level of personalization directly from their mobile. Offering the complete luxury get-away, guests can also avail of a concierge service.

Contemporary design is at the heart of the hotel’s interiors and tailor-made furniture, complemented state-of-the-art technology, including a personalized iPad in each room, a Smart TV to seamlessly connect you to a range of catering and concierge services, and complimentary Freeview channels and wi-fi.

A home away from home, The Exhibitionist Hotel features four unique luxury suites. The two penthouse suites of particular note are The Squint Suite and the Jimmie Martin Suite. The first is a colourful ensemble, with exuberant design and eye-catching modern art scattered across the room, whilst the latter is a darker, more eclectic space, infused with statement furniture. Both have roomy terraces with impressive London views, accommodating up to 25 guests for private events such as weddings, cocktail functions and meetings. The terraces feature outdoor TV screens, perfect for watching a film during a balmy summer evening, and an adjoined visitor bathroom, enabling total privacy for guests.

The hotel’s most unique feature is its status as the only London hotel to have opulent double rooms with “plunge pools”, the Splash Suites. Located on the basement-floor, the suites come complete with their own private entrances for an exclusive, apartment-like feel. Accommodating approximately eight guests, the plunge pools are the perfect relaxation treat after a busy day of retail therapy or for creating that intimate party atmosphere. They are also the perfect romantic getaway. Guests can also indulge in the hotel’s in-room male and/or female option butler and bartender services direct to the suite.

Away from the splendour of the bedrooms, the hotel also boasts three eclectic eateries and bars, including: the new Abstract Bar, the elegantly decorated Garden Room, located on the ground floor of the hotel, ideal for private dining and closed Door boardroom meetings, accommodating up to 12-15 people seated or 20 standing; and The Lounge Bar, a spacious seating area with decadent design features and snug armchairs. A stand-out feature is the hotel’s bar areas, which feature an array of tantalising signature cocktails.

Guests can enjoy continental or A La Carte breakfast, and a 24 hour in-room dining service from a former Hilton Group chef who is experienced in preparing exquisite meals. A sumptuous Halal menu is also provided.

An idyllic alternative to the more bustling Park Lane, The Exhibitionist Hotel allows guests to explore and sample the delights of Knightsbridge. The hotel is conveniently located near to some of London’s most exclusive shopping districts catering to an ultra-high-net-worth and stylish clientele. Within minutes you can experience iconic landmark stores such as Harrods and Harvey Nichols and an array of designer boutiques on Sloane Street. The area is also world renowned for its cultural attractions housing The Natural History Museum, The Science Museum, The Victoria & Albert Museum and Royal Albert Hall to name a few. The hotel takes its name from the adjacent Exhibition Road, home to some of London’s most iconic cultural institutions.

For further information, visit: www.theexhibitionisthotel.com

10th November 2015
HARRODS LAUNCHES CHRISTMAS WINDOWS

The Harrods Christmas windows on the Brompton Road will set the scene for a world of moving puppets and performers. Inspired by the store’s “Once Upon a Christmas” theme, each window will feature a stage complete with performers, lights, scenery and red velvet curtains. Meanwhile, “hidden” beneath the floorboards is a magical world of Christmas mice, with Peter Pumpernickel returning to lead the entertainment as they play and prepare for their Christmas celebrations.

ALEXANDER WELLS-GRECO, HEAD OF VISUAL MERCHANDISING AT HARRODS, SAID: “This year, our customers are invited to become the audience and enjoy the festive season’s ultimate show. We want to continue to engage with families – children in particular. To achieve this, we raised the windows by 60cm to create the underfloor theatre scenes of Christmas mice preparing for the festivities, installed directly at a child’s eye level.”

Along the Brompton Road, Burberry’s window depicts its Thomas bears enjoying a night at the theatre, while Balenciaga’s window houses a swinging circus performer who introduces key Christmas accessories from a trapeze. A production line of mice work on Christmas orders in their workshop in the Stella McCartney window, while Bottega Veneta’s AW15 handbag collection appears alongside the strongman’s weights in the Magical Marionette circus tent. An oversized gingerbread house created by Rosalind Miller takes over one of Harrods’ windows, delivering a Hansel and Gretel twist. The house stands nearly two metres tall and three metres wide. Constructed of more than 42 gingerbread tiles (weighing a total of 40kg) and with around 200 sugar roof tiles, it took 33 hours to bake and involved 20 hours of hand-piping. Alongside the house, an array of festive fare from Godiva, East India Company and Ladurée is featured in the wintry forest scene.

To coincide with the launch of the famous Harrods windows, the Festival of Christmas begins on Friday 6th November with the arrival of Father Christmas and the opening of The Harrods Christmas Grotto. Meanwhile, in Hans Crescent, festive characters will be dropping by over the weekend and there will be a variety of entertainment on offer for children. Families can meet Father Christmas’ reindeer, visit Snowball Alley, and have fun with the Wheel of Fortune and a festive photo booth.

In-store, each department will be running a number of activities, including face painting with Disney in Childrenswear on the Fourth Floor; sock monogramming at Pantherella in Menswear on the Lower Ground Floor; and calligraphic personalisation and monogramming across Crème de la Mer products in the Beauty Halls on the Ground Floor.

2nd November 2015
UN GLOBAL GOALS REACH ALMOST 3 BILLION PEOPLE IN JUST 7 DAYS AFTER 193 WORLD LEADERS UNITE IN NYC
With the historic signing of the goals taking place in New York on 25th September, many extraordinary achievements have been made so far to make the goals famous, highlights availablehere*, with an estimated 40% reach of the global population – an average of 417 million people per day.

500 million children reached with the World’s Largest Lesson thanks to commitments from Ministries of Education in 103 countries

136 flags raised from the North Pole to North Korea, Moscow’s Red Square to 10 Downing Street, Larke Pass in Nepal to the Himalayas in India

Mobile operators text almost one billion people about the goals and spread the word to 5.2 billion customers

60,000 people attended the Global Citizen Festival including; First Lady Michelle Obama, Leonardo DiCaprio, Arjun Kapoor, Bono, Bill and Melinda Gates and Malala Yousafzai. The concert was headlined by Beyoncé and Coldplay and watched on TV in 26 countries

1.3 million mentions on social media with #globalgoals trending across the world thanks to the support of 20 of the world’s top websites, Prime Minister David Cameron, Hillary Clinton, Jennifer Lopez, Ashton Kutcher, 1D, David, Bollywood stars Aamir Khan and Akshay Kumar and Victoria Beckham and many more

Countless people joined a star studded line-up in the crowdsourced film ‘We The People’ contributed to by Stephen Hawking, Daniel Craig, Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Winslet, Meryl Streep, Robert Redford, Colin Firth, Stevie Wonder, Akshay Kumar, Jacqueline Fernandez, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan and many more.

The World’s First Global Cinema Ad produced by Aardman and voiced by Liam Neeson and Michelle Rodriguez premiered in 34 cinemas globally

Over 250 million people engaged via Radio Everyone in 75 countries with 600 radio partners

Famous faces including; Naomi Campbell, Nicole Scherzinger, Lily Cole, Sadie Frost, Jodie Kidd, Laura Bailey, Alice Temperley and Alek Wek pledged their support for the goals they are most passionate about in a series of striking photographs

‘Invisible man’ artist Liu Bolin created a new piece of artwork by camouflaging himself in front of 193 UN countries’ flags

Action/2015 report that over 200,000 people took action across more than 100 countries

Corporates such as Tata group, Standard Chartered, eBay India, Reliance Group, Aviva and many more, all helped promote the global goals
The aims of the Global Goals are to achieve three extraordinary things in the next 15 years; end poverty, fight inequality & injustice and tackle climate change – for everyone.

193 world leaders have now adopted these aims and committed to addressing 17 Goals.

Project Everyone, founded by Richard Curtis, aims to both make the goals famous and to push for their full implementation. If the goals are famous- if people care about what has been promised by the politicians, it greatly increases their chance of being implemented.

Richard Curtis said: “In just 7 days we’re halfway towards achieving the ambitious goal of telling everyone in the world about the UN Global Goals. Knowledge is power and country by country people are starting to find out about the plan their politicians have made.

We all need to know what our rights are in order to claim them. This simple idea of ‘telling everyone’ about the goals means that we can now begin to hold our politicians to account in addressing the 17 core issues brought to the world’s attention at the Sustainable Development Summit on 25th September. Their final aim will be to make us the first generation to end extreme poverty, the most determined generation to end inequality and injustice and the last generation to be threatened by climate change.

I hope we can now continue to spread the message of the goals to everyone to help make them a reality by 2030. And work towards an annual day where everyone will be encouraged to focus on the Goals, the progress made so far and what needs to be addressed in the years and years ahead to achieve their final goal.”

Stephen Hawking said: “2015 is the year world leaders sign up to the Global Goals. They are an ambitious to do list to eradicate poverty, save the environment, and make the world a fairer place for everyone. To save the world we need everyone to tell everyone.”

Find out more about the Global Goals: www.globalgoals.org
21st October 2015
DSC SOUTH ASIAN LITERATURE PRIZE

16th January 2016; Sri Lanka: Anuradha Roy has been announced as the winner of the prestigious DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2016 for her novel, Sleeping on Jupiter at the Fairway Galle Literary Festival in Sri Lanka. In a glittering ceremony, the US $50,000 DSC Prize along with a unique trophy was awarded by Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe, Prime Minister of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to the winner.

The six shortlisted authors and novels in contention for the DSC Prize this year were Akhil Sharma: Family Life (Faber & Faber, UK), Anuradha Roy: Sleeping on Jupiter (Hachette, India), K.R. Meera: Hangwoman (Translated by J Devika; Penguin, India), Mirza Waheed: The Book of Gold Leaves (Viking/Penguin India), Neel Mukherjee: The Lives of Others (Vintage/Penguin Random House, UK) and Raj Kamal Jha: She Will Build Him A City (Bloomsbury, India).

Now in its sixth edition, the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature is an established international literary prize that awards the best work in South Asian fiction writing each year. This year the DSC Prize had received 74 entries with participation from publishers from the South Asian region as well as from countries like the UK, US, Canada, Australia and South Africa amongst others. The DSC Prize for South Asian Literature which is specifically focused on South Asian writing is unique in the sense that it is not ethnicity driven in terms of the author’s origin and is open to any author belonging to any part of the globe as long as the work is based on the South Asian region and its people. The past winners have been from various countries and their work has reflected the importance of South Asian culture and literature.

The DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2016 was judged by a diverse and distinguished five member jury panel comprising eminent figures drawn from the international literary fraternity who have worked in or around South Asian literature and issues. The jury panel comprised of Mark Tully, Chair of the jury panel and renowned journalist who has commentated on a wide range of issues affecting the South Asian region for over four decades; Dennis Walder, Emeritus Professor of Literature at the Open University, UK, who has authored several articles and books on 19th and 20th century literature; Karen Allman, highly respected book seller and literary coordinator based out of Seattle, USA; Neloufer de Mel, Senior Professor of English at the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, who has written extensively on society, culture and feminism; and Syed Manzoorul Islam, celebrated Bangladeshi writer, translator, critic and academic.

Speaking on the occasion, Mark Tully on behalf of the jury said “We had a shortlist of six outstanding books. Their excellence made our task particularly difficult. We chose Sleeping on Jupiter by Anuradha Roy because of its elegance, flair and readability. It raises many issues succinctly and with commendable economy of words. The South Asian setting is described faithfully and evocatively. Among the issues raised are the power of memory and myth, religious hypocrisy, sexuality, abuse and other forms of violence. The novel contains powerful portraits of both major and minor characters. We believe this book will be a source of inspiration to other writers.

Congratulating the winner, Surina Narula, MBE and co-founder of the DSC Prize said “My heartfelt congratulations to Anuradha Roy for winning the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2016. The winning novel highlights the changing dynamics in South Asian life and culture in a unique way. It must have been a tough task for the jury members to choose from the six exceptional contenders and arriving at the eventual winner as each one of the novels represents the very best in South Asian fiction writing. Completing six successful years, the DSC Prize remains focused on recognizing and showcasing the immense talent writing about the South Asian region and bringing it to the larger global audience.”

Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe, Prime Minister of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka was the Chief Guest of the event. While presenting the trophy to the winner he commented on the importance of South Asian literature and the crucial role it can play to improve the lives of the people living in this region.

The last five winners of the DSC Prize have been Jhumpa Lahiri (The Lowland: Vintage Books/Random House, India), Cyrus Mistry (Chronicle of a Corpse Bearer: Aleph Book Company, India), Jeet Thayil (Narcopolis: Faber & Faber, London), Shehan Karunatilaka (Chinaman: Random House, India) and HM Naqvi (Home Boy: Harper Collins, India). Each of these winners has gone on to be published internationally and their work has reached a larger global audience which has been one of the central visions of the DSC Prize.

Over the years the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature has been deeply involved in supporting the cause of South Asian literature and is committed to widen the ambit of conversation on South Asian writing by reaching out to diverse audiences through its various events and initiatives.

26th July 2015
AN EVENING WITH PACINO

GLASGOW 19 MAY | LONDON 22 MAY | DUBLIN 24 MAY

S2BN Entertainment is pleased to present AN EVENING WITH PACINO, the worldwide acclaimed event with one of cinema’s most riveting stars, Al Pacino.

Taking place at three coveted venues in Europe: Clyde Auditorium, SECC in Glasgow on 19th May, Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith, London on 22nd May and Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in Dublin on 24th May, the unique events will be an unmissable opportunity for fans in Europe to get up close and personal, sharing private moments with one of the greatest actors of his generation.

AN EVENING WITH PACINO marks a welcome return for Al Pacino to the United Kingdom following a sold out night at the London Palladium in 2013. ‘An Evening with Pacino’ will explore the myriad highlights of one of the most celebrated careers in acting history, from his time off-Broadway in the 60s right up to the present day. Highlights will include never before heard stories and exclusive clips shared by Pacino in intimate theatre surrounds. The evening will include an on-stage interview projected on a state-of-the-art large screen, bringing the action closer to the audience. This very special event will also give audience members a rare chance to speak directly to Pacino in an audience question and answer session.

“I’m very excited to be presenting these special events with Al Pacino,” said Michael Cohl, Chairman, S2BN Entertainment “he is one of the most talented actors of all time and to see him live, in person, and to hear his stories, and watch him go in and out of his most famous characters, is truly a unique experience”.

Al Pacino has created some of the most indelible character portrayals in cinema history, starring in over forty films that include The Godfather Trilogy, Dog Day Afternoon, Serpico, Scent of a Woman, Sea of Love, Dick Tracy, Heat, Scarface, Any Given Sunday, Donnie Brasco, Angels in America and, most recently, You Don’t Know Jack and Phil Spector for HBO. He is an eight-time Academy Award nominee and an Oscar winner for his performance in Scent of a Woman.

Pacino’s performances for HBO have garnered Golden Globe and Emmy awards for Angels in America and You Don’t Know Jack. He is one of the few actors to have won the triple crown of acting: the Oscar, Tony and Emmy Award. He is also the winner of the 2012 National Medal of Arts, AFI Life Achievement Award and American Cinematheque Award.

With an enduring devotion to acting, Pacino has become one of film and theatre’s most honoured artists, and one of the most famous and loved actors in the world. AN EVENING WITH PACINO is, undoubtedly, an exceptional opportunity to catch an icon in the flesh.

Tickets are available to purchase on www.ticketmaster.com and www.eveningwithpacino.com. Tickets range from £40 to £200. Additional ticket fees may apply.

For VIP and Meet & Greet Experience packages please contact Sterling Global

11th May 2015