Dear Friends and Supporters of the Australian Bushfire Benefit London,
It gives us so much joy to be able to write this email to you all. We can confirm that the amount raised so far through the Australian Bushfire Benefit London concert and auction is £40, 093.66 + cash on the day £1,480.45 = £41,574.11 (appoximately AUD$84,000).
This money will be split between the following charities and causes totalling £40,093.66: (refer complete breakdown below)
- Australian Bush Heritage
- Lifeline
- The Salvation Army - Emergency Services Relief project
- The World Wild Life Fund for Nature Australian Bushfire Appeal
and cash donations raised on the day totalling £1,480.45:
- Firesticks Alliance Indigenous Corporation
- Bushfire Appeal for Leah Milston and David Wallace
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Below is a summary of the event costs:
- All reception costs and other miscellaneous event costs (and there were many) were covered by our Event Sponsor, Voyage Control (James Swanston,CEO)
- The concert venue was provided free of charge by the Royal Academy of Music courtesy of the Principal, Professor Jonathan Freeman-and on a personal note he was there at the beginning and gave Bridget his full support...this was priceless...Thank you!
- The concert programme printing was sponsored by Leopard Print and Dr Margaret Mayston AM
- All of the silent auction items were donated by a group of wonderful people. They are all noted on our Silent Auction page here
- The Indigenous painting which sold for £3,500 was kindly donated by Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery. Thank you Rebecca!
- June Mendoza AM OBE for offering to paint two head & shoulders portraits.
- This contribution on its own added 20% to the total raised. Thank you June! (It was supposed to be one portrait!)
- Thank you to all of the successful bidders. We didn't even mention the £1,200 plate of Lamingtons...)
- All of the alcohol at the event was kindly provided by:
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This incredible amount raised is the direct result of hard work, generous sponsorship, and you our audience who made this event such a great success.
Too many highlights but the chills from Sculthorpes, Earth Cry conducted by the great Simone Young we will never forget; Stephen Leek's choral masterpiece, Kondalilla conducted by Hester Wright with the ABBL Choir; Dawn Wail For The Dead by Connor D'Netto sung by Lotte Betts-Dean and played by the Hill Quartet; Yanada (Ross Edwards) played by Amy Dickson with the unforgettable slow walk up to the stage; Interlude (Paul Stanhope) played by Renee Kennedy; the Australian Medley sung by Paul Ettore Tabone Una Reynolds & Corinne Cowling accompanied by Chad Vindin. The three poems that were read by Natasha Baiguerra (After All, Henry Lawson), Phoebe Panaretos (Tomorrow is hope, Blue Robinson), and Samuel Sakker (7 Days, Leah Milston).
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The European debut of Ella Macen's haunting The Lake, and Elegy by Frederick Septimus Kelly conducted by Toby C Thatcher with the ABBL Orchestra; Samantha Clarke- Soprano singing Home Sweet Home; Miriam Allan singing a new song Disillusion by Joseph Havlat; the Verdi Requiem excerpts with Sam Sakker Helena Dix Catherine Carby & Simon Thorpe was extraordinarily amazing; Helen Sherman singing Bush Silence with Joseph Havlat (piano); Stuart Skelton’s incredible singing; for most of us in Duke's Hall the finale I am Australian with Embla Bishop, Phoebe Panaretos, Alex Given & Kurt Kansley was perfect. It just hit a nerve with us all.
We would love to hear from you with your personal highlights. Please do stay in touch
Thank you for your support - we will all remember this for a very long time.
Warm regards
ABBL Team
Isla Baring OAM – Tait Memorial Trust
Lotte Betts-Dean – mezzo-soprano
Jessica Cottis – conductor
James Hancock – Tait Memorial Trust
Ros Higgins – Royal Flying Doctor Service, Friends in the UK
Dr Margaret Mayston AM – Australian Music Foundation
Bridget O’Donnell – violin (where it all started)
James Swanston – Voyage Control (Event Sponsor)
Toby Thatcher – conductor
And Orchestra, Choir, Stage Crew, Front of House, Reception team, Volunteers...so many wonderful people who all did it for Bushfire relief.
Event photography by Clare Hannan, Hannan Images. Go to our home page to see the performance photos
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COVID19 and the consequences for the Arts
As you'll know, our concert featured musicians/singers/conductors/stage crew etc who all gave their services for free to raise much needed funds for bushfire relief. Most, if not all, of these performers are now facing their own existential crisis given the shutting of concert halls, opera houses, summer festivals, theatres or secondary income opportunities that they may have been depending on have also closed or are about to. Many of the artists you saw are without work for 6 months or more...It is a devastating blow to the Arts community here, and internationally.
We are looking into a way to help raise some funds for these artists (and perhaps others in a similar predicament)? We are yet again in one of those moments where the nation has to deal with something that was not quite in anyone's contemplation, and this may be a good opportunity to help out some of those who are now in need.
If you would like to be assist us please write to James Hancock james@taitmemorialtrust.org
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Disbursement of funds*
All ticket revenues, donations received before the event and proceeds from the two charity auctions will be divided equally between the following four Australian bushfire charities:
1. Lifeline Australia | www.lifeline.org.au
2. Salvation Army—Emergency Services Relief Project | www.salvationarmy.org.au
3. Australian Bushfire Appeal—WWF Australia | www.wwf.org.au
4. Australian Bush Heritage | www.bushheritage.org.au
All cash collected today at the event will be sent to:
- The Firesticks Alliance Indigenous Corporation | www.firesticks.org.au
Firesticks provides Indigenous leadership, advocacy and action to protect Country through cultural fire and land management practices
2. Leah & David—Bushfire Emergency Appeal | www.bit.ly/LeahandDavid
Leah Milston and David Wallace lost their home, their belongings and their beautiful bookshop during the Mogo, NSW bush fires on New Year’s Eve.
Leah wrote the poem, ‘7 Days’, which Samuel Sakker, a family friend, read at the concert.
* All funds will be transferred to Australia at the best exchange rates and fee free by Event Partner—FairFX
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| Source |
Net amount £ |
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| Box Office via Eventbrite (no fees) |
15,807 |
2 late ticket refunds |
| Live Auction income less card fees |
14,130.35 |
Includes £4K directly to Bush Heritage Australia |
| Silent Auction income less all fees |
2,566.31 |
1 lot withdrawn for not reaching reserve |
| Donations via Eventbrite (no fees) |
1,590 |
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| iZettle card reader donations at concert (net after card fees) |
400.45 |
Added to cash donations |
| Cash donations at the concert into the donation Buckets |
1,080 |
Collected at the concert |
| Restricted donation from VEC Acorn Trust "for Australian wildlife & preservation charities" |
1,000 |
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| Anon Bush Heritage Aust |
5,000 |
Credited directly by donor to Bush Heritage Australia |
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41,574 |
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| Total funds raised |
£41,574.11 |
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| Chosen Charities |
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Payouts |
Amount £ |
Total £ |
| Firesticks and Leah & David Bushfire Appeal |
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| iZettle card reader donations at concert |
£400.45 |
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firesticks.org.au |
£740.225 |
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| Cash donations at the concert into Buckets |
£1,080 |
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bit.ly/LeahandDavid |
£740.225 |
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£1,480.45 |
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£1,480.45 |
£1,480.45 |
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| Remainder |
£40,093.66 |
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| To be divided equally between these charities |
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Therefore |
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| Lifeline Australia |
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lifeline.org.au |
£10,023.415 |
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| Salvation Army Australia - Emergency Services Relief Project |
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salvationarmy.org.au |
£10,023.415 |
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| Australian Bushfire Appeal - WWF Australia |
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wwf.org.au |
£10,023.415 |
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| Australian Bush Heritage |
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bushheritage.org.au |
£1,023.415 |
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£31,093.66 |
£31,093.66 |
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| Note: £9,000 already credited to Bush Heritage |
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£9,000 |
£9,000 |
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Total funds disbursed |
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£41,574.11 |
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Click here to watch the Reuters story about the concert
Catherine Carby, Helena Dix & Simone Young with the ABBL Orchestra
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We thank the following organisations and individuals for their support:
Event Sponsor
Event Partners
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