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The Carphone Warehouse Auction 2006

Get Connected benefits from over £100,000 raised at auction

The Carphone Warehouse held an auction on March 27th in aid of young people’s helpline Get Connected, the free UK-wide telephone and email helpline for young people, and raised over £100,000. This is the second auction held in support of Get Connected and makes a significant contribution to the charity’s resources.

Hosted by comedian Ed Byrne and auctioneered by Simon Bailey of Harman Healy, the auction took place at BAFTA in Piccadilly, and was attended by over 150 VIP guests and associates of The Carphone Warehouse.

Items for the auction were generously donated by several businesses, including, Orange, Motorola, Accenture and Channel 4. Lots that went under the hammer included:

• A guitar signed by the entire Oasis line-up; including the Gallaghers
• Two tickets to the Monaco Grand Prix
• A seven night safari in Kenya
• Two walk on parts in one of Working Title Films’ forthcoming productions
• The Carphone Warehouse’s Group Chief Executive, Charles Dunstone, also personally donated a VIP weekend in the Med for eight guests aboard his yacht

Get Connected and The Carphone Warehouse established their award-winning partnership in 2001. The Carphone Warehouse provides Get Connected with accommodation, phone lines and IT support, and employees volunteer as Helpline Workers.

Get Connected provides a free, confidential helpline that gives young people in difficult situations the support and information they need to decide what they want to happen next. It could be anything from a listening ear to somewhere safe to stay for the night. For many young people in crisis situations, Get Connected is the first and only way of accessing help for free and in confidence.

Andrew Harrison, Trustee of Get Connected and UK Chief Executive, The Carphone Warehouse comments, “We are thrilled that we have been able to support Get Connected with such a successful auction. Such a vital service deserves and must have our support. Only with our support can it survive and grow, enabling it to make a real difference to the lives of vulnerable young people.”

“The amazing generosity of The Carphone Warehouse and its associates means that Get Connected can concentrate on extending our service to the most vulnerable young people at a time when they most need that help,” said Emma Insley, Get Connected’s Director.

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For further information, please contact Chloë Darlington at Get Connected on 020 7009 2500

Editor’s notes

1. Get Connected is a free, confidential telephone and email helplines finding young people the best help, whatever the problem. The helpline provides emotional support and information on options available so young people can choose what sort of help is best. Young people can be connected for free to their chosen service, texted important details or emailed links to online resources.
2. Get Connected and The Carphone Warehouse won the Charity Times Corporate Partnership of the Year Award in 2003.
3. Funds raised from the auction will support the recruitment and training of helpline staff so that Get Connected can fulfil its objective of finding help for more boys and young men.