A host of celebrities gathered at the Oxford Playhouse on Sunday 14th October for Eight Stories High, an event celebrating Oxfam’s 70th anniversary through storytelling and performances.
Special guests included Oxfam Global Ambassador, Kristin Davis, actress Bonnie Wright and Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis. During the evening, video contributions from singer Annie Lennox and actor Colin Firth gave were shown.
The Ugandan breakdance group, Tabu Flo, also performed. The dancers met in 2007 through the Breakdance Project, which aims to support poor youths and child soldiers through teaching them how to dance in an attempt to bring the community together and to encourage positive change. By performing at the event, they hoped to ‘send out a message that Oxfam is not just involved in poverty and education – it’s beyond that.’
Before the event, Kristin Davis said she was ‘deeply proud’ to be a part of Oxfam and Eight Stories High, stating, ‘there are so many untold and fantastic stories that touch Oxfam’s world, which should be shared.’ She added, ‘one of the wonderful things about tonight is that we get to show actual projects and talk about them.’
In the aftermath of the southeast Asia tsunami of 2004, Davies got involved with Oxfam as a donor because of their providing long term aid to support recovery in the affected countries. She stated, ‘They’re actually still there many years later and I was so impressed by the rationale behind their thinking.Oxfam really believe in the respect of the people.’
Since then, Davis has made two trips to Africa with Oxfam, travelling to several poverty stricken countries including Uganda and South Africa. She has taken a particular interest in the rights of women in these communities, such as Chitehwe, a small village in Mozambique. In this settlement, villagers were living on less than $1 per week but, being close to the Zimbabwe border, received no government aid for fear of it getting to the rebels.
Now a project supported by Oxfam is enabling women to keep chickens to provide for themselves and generate an income for their families, allowing the children to return to school. Oxfam is also involved in introducing medical care in the area. Davis finished, ‘this is a great example of the fundamentals of Oxfam.’
Ian and Victoria Hislop, both former students of Oxford University, also took part in the event. They have supported Oxfam since they were teenagers. Ms Hislop commented, ‘There are a lot of organisations out there that are doing good, it’s undeniable.’
The two decided to support Oxfam because, as Mr Hislop stated, ‘Oxfam make sure that if you give them some money, they spend it properly.’ Ms Hislop has aided Oxfam by donating short stories to Oxfam anthologies Ox-Tales and Ox-Travels, whilst Mr Hislop helped to launch Oxfam campaigns such as 2008’s World Food Crisis appeal. He hoped that the event would prompt others to ‘put their hand in their pocket.’
The evening raised £40,000, which will be used to fight poverty, with donations including a pair of Kristin Davis’ Christian Louboutin stilettos.
