Photo: Patcharaphol Pongvijit
Laura Mvula performing at The Circle Presents @ The Mango Tree
Laura Mvula performing at The Circle Presents @ The Mango Tree
Stars including Laura Mvula, Gemma Cairney, Meera Syal and Shappi Khorsandi, took part in a very special event last night to raise funds for women’s projects supported by The Circle.
The Circle Presents Laura Mvula and Friends was an evening of entertainment and fundraising held at The Mango Tree, the renowned Thai restaurant in Belgravia. Hosted by Meera Syal, with comedy from Shappi Khorsandi, a sumptuous Thai meal and a stunning performance by double Brit Award nominee Laura Mvula, the evening was a tremendous success and saw a host of celebrity guests step out to support the charity’s efforts.
Photo: Patcharaphol Pongvijit
Oxfam’s Tim Hunter, Anna Thorne and Kalyani Gandhi-Rhodes enjoying The Circle Presents @ The Mango Tree with The Asian Circle’s Santosh Bhanot
Photo: Patcharaphol Pongvijit
Jimmy Choo with The Asian Circle (Shailja Sharma, Pallavi Popli, Pooja Nayak, Namita Kapoor, Lucie Wierzba & Kalyani Gandhi-Rhodes)
Jimmy Choo with The Asian Circle (Shailja Sharma, Pallavi Popli, Pooja Nayak, Namita Kapoor, Lucie Wierzba & Kalyani Gandhi-Rhodes)
Photo: Patcharaphol Pongvijit
Livia Firth with owners of The Mango Tree, Eddie and Joyce Lim
Livia Firth with owners of The Mango Tree, Eddie and Joyce Lim
Guests included Harry Potter actress Bonnie Wright, chef and food writer Thomasina Miers, TV presenters Nick Ross, Sonali Shah and Seema Pathan, Eco-Age founder Livia Firth, Whistles’ Chief Executive Jane Shepherdson and Seema Malhotra MP, Shadow Minister for Preventing Violence Against Women and Girls. The fashion world was well represented with shoe designer Jimmy Choo, Luella Bartley – design director of Marc By Marc Jacobs, Vogue blogger and i-D fashion editor Julia Sarr-Jamois, and fashion designer Ashley Williams in attendance.
Photo: Patcharaphol Pongvijit
Nileeka Gunawardene and her dancers performed an amazing Bollywood routine for the guests b
Nileeka Gunawardene and her dancers performed an amazing Bollywood routine for the guests
Photo: Patcharaphol Pongvijit
Seema Malhotra MP with Santosh Bhanot
Seema Malhotra MP with Santosh Bhanot
The Circle is an organisation founded by Annie Lennox which champions women’s rights and equality by working with women who are passionate about change.
Host for the evening, Meera Syal commented: “It’s fantastic to see so many successful and empowered women coming together to raise awareness and fight the scourge of domestic violence that exists across the world. We are all incredibly lucky to have been given a voice, an education and an opportunity to stand up for what we believe in. The women that we are trying to help have no voice, no education and live a life of constant fear. The work of projects we are raising funds for are a lifeline for women in the most impoverished areas of the world to escape to.”
Laura Mvula added: “It’s a privilege to perform for The Circle. When women come together we are a powerful force – we can achieve anything. The Circle is a great example of this. It’s about women using the resources and skills at that they have to help those who need our support.”
Photo: Patcharaphol Pongvijit
Seema Pathan enjoying a night at The Circle Presents @ The Mango Tree with her father
Seema Pathan enjoying a night at The Circle Presents @ The Mango Tree with her father
Photo: Patcharaphol Pongvijit
The Asian Circle
The Asian Circle
Photo: Patcharaphol Pongvijit
The Mango Tree’s Carolina Campanholi with Vanessa Emilien and Pandora’s Andra Damian and Oana Damian
The Mango Tree’s Carolina Campanholi with Vanessa Emilien and Pandora’s Andra Damian and Oana Damian
Domestic violence is the most widespread form of human rights violation in India.72 % of men who beat their wives believe this is acceptable behaviour and 68% women victims believe this is acceptable; in Uganda it affects 60% of women. Last night’s event raised funds for two Oxfam projects in Uganda and India which are supported by The Circle and The Asian Circle. Focused on tackling violence against women, the projects will help by providing support for victims, tackling social acceptance of violence against women, raising awareness of women’s rights and influencing laws to promote these rights.
Radio 1 DJ - Gemma Cairney said: “The projects we’re raising funds for tonight will change women’s lives now and for future generations. The Circle is transforming the lives of women in developing countries, raising their voices and empowering them to claim their rights - I’m proud to be a part of it.”
As keen philanthropists, restaurant owners Eddie and Joyce Lim, were delighted to support The Circle by hosting this fundraising event at Mango Tree.