Shot Before Dawn
The Players, The Parties
ISIS Dinner
“One thousand two hundred pounds for the blonde lady. Um, sorry – I don’t want to be blondist.”
Sotheby’s Chairman Henry Wyndham, who conducted the auction last Thursday night at the inaugural ISIS ladies’ charity dinner, wasn’t exactly struggling with the task of selling luxury items — including a generously donated Calleija 18ct gold and diamond ‘Saddle’ ring and a two -night stay at the privately owned Goodwood Hotel — off to a roomful of discerning City, society and scientist belles, but neither was he winging it. ‘Terrifying,’ he was heard uttering before braving the stage.
That he did so in aid of no fewer than nine excellent causes, including Barnardo’s The Young Women’s Service and the Best Beginnings Small Wonders Project, doubtless made it sweeter. Every one of the charities being supported, said host and SCM Philanthropy founder Gina Miller, were small outfits selected for their passion, understanding and desire to make a positive difference to the negative impacts on our society and environment.
With such a force for good prevailing, the only way was up. Never mind lavishing diners with a delectable three-course meal and more bubbly and fine wine than is decent for ladies to imbibe in polite society, the evening was a success from start to finish: the total raised came to £119,000 on the night and swelled (thanks to a cheque for £15,000, amongst other donations) the following morning.
Well over 150 of the fairer sex attended the event — art gallery owner Helen Macintyre, Amber Aikens (founder of Nuttall Home and wife of Tom), the Marchioness of Northampton and Lady Emily Compton of SCM Private among them — accessorized by a smattering of gents, including dapper financier Alan Miller and a Jersey Boy (who later treated the crowd to a very un-Sotheby’s striptease) — making the ratio of men to women some 1 to 15. Daunting? Pah! They — Wyndham included — loved the attention, we’re sure of it.
The atmosphere was all heart, cheer and squeals, with the charismatic Sky Sports presenter and MC for the night Charlie Webster kicking the proceedings off with a raucous ‘Nice to see the ladies out!’ (which in turn met with yet more cheering), before getting down to business and talking shop.
A victim of abuse herself and a champion of women’s ability to overcome hardship, Webster spoke movingly about the need to make a significant difference to better women’s lives wherever possible. Gina Miller, next up at the lectern and looking and sounding every inch the leader of a movement of this kind — confident, compassionate, inspiring — related being denounced by her elder daughter’s school for putting her at risk by taking her around Bristol, where they lived at the time, to hand clothes out to homeless people for three winters running. A common shaking of heads ensued.
Fuel if any was needed to get the auction up and running, the speeches made way for hard and fast money raising. Clipboard-bearing assistants darted from one table to another furiously taking note of generous bids for the silent auction, while the live deal enjoyed the ceaseless raising and waving of bejewelled and manicured hands vying for spoils like the limited edition version of the iconic ISIS sculpture in London’s Hyde Park (which went for several tens of thousands) and a dinner for 10 cooked by Tom Aiken (£6,000). ‘I think he should go for millions!’ said his wife.
And then came Derek Paravicini, the blind savant better known as the human iPod for his speechlessness-inducing ability to play any song in any key requested of him at a moment’s notice. A little surprise, courtesy of SCM Philanthropy, and also testament to the stellar work of the Amber Trust (one of the nine charities in the spotlight), which was set up to help blind or partially sighted children to access and enjoy music.
Derek’s arrival didn’t so much prompt a metaphorical loosening of the neck ties as it did unleash a veritable avalanche of feeling and belting voices singing along to ‘What’s love got to do with it’ (Tina), ‘Born to run’ (Bruce), and ‘Fight (“fight fight fight fight”) for this love’ (Cheryl, if you need ask).
‘It isn’t exactly easy to relax and enjoy your own event,’ said Gina Miller afterwards. ‘But when I saw these women, from all walks of life, singing along like that to Derek, well, then it wasn’t so hard!’
Numbering among the charity representatives in attendance, who had what can best be described as a blanket calming effect of the proceedings, were Linda Walker MBE, of the remarkable Chernobyl’s Children’s Project, and Philippa Frankl, the energetic executive director of Street Kids International UK, which disseminates innovative training to give street kids the world over the knowledge to make a better life for themselves. Rubbing shoulders with their ilk was akin to being in the presence of some awesome, powerful force you can’t help but bow to. We can all learn from these women.
We have it in us. To quote P. G. Wodehouse, ‘At the age of eleven or thereabouts women acquire a poise and an ability to handle difficult situations which a man, if he is lucky, manages to achieve somewhere in the later seventies.’
Bespoke millinery off to you, ladies of the good.
For more details visit www.scmphilanthropy.com
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