NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM LAUNCHES LORD FINK’S GLOBAL FUNDRAISER
THE NATURAL History Museum last night took on a global theme for the World Wide Launch Party for The Global Party – the 24-hour international party next Thursday and Friday that will link together 80 parties in 73 cities in 42 countries.
More than 2,000 guests helped The Global Party get off to a flying start, including hotelier Sol Kerzner; hedge fund boss Ian Wace of Marshall Wace, accompanied by his model girlfriend Saffron Aldridge (pictured); Dunhill chief executive Chris Colfer; and, of course, the party’s co-organisers Lord Stanley Fink and his business partner David Johnstone.
“May I welcome you all to a wonderful night at the museum,” said Fink among the dinosaurs, before handing over to Johnstone, who explained where the £1m the party is expected to raise will be donated – a total of 15 charities including the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, the Blue Marine Foundation, the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, and Absolute Return for Kids, the charity co-founded by Wace and philanthropist Arki Busson.
Entertainment was provided by Eddie and the Robbers and – Fink’s favourite – Bryan Ferry, who kept the crowd dancing until the early hours to Roxy Music hits. “We are very pleased with the turnout,” Fink told The Capitalist. So much so that he and Johnstone plan to bring the inaugural Global Party back in two years’ time – well, it does take 18 months to organise – expanded for 2013 to 380 parties around the world.