GUARDIAN READERS RAISE over £20,000
Drum roll.....
Thank you readers! Today in 8 hours you have donated a wonderful £16,781, which with estimated gift aid comes to a grand total of £20,458.
If you’ve felt a little bombarded today by the relentless telethon blogging, tweeting, vining and calling to get you to part with your cash, we would apologise – but it’s all to raise money for some charities doing amazing work to change people’s lives and challenge stigma around mental health.
We’ll be continuing the blog next week, with more stories, data and videos about the people behind the charities and those they help.
TODAY’s HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED:
- Owen Jones’ first vine, and then his second
- A DOG CALLED BUDDY ROAMING THE NEWSROOM
- Alan Rusbridger’s message from the Australian skies
- Shami Chakrabarti’s incredible phone manner
- Simon Hattenstone’s approval of wine, even from a plastic cup
- Our deputy editor being told by a caller he only read the Guardian cos the Times now had a paywall (thanks for that)
- THE DOG, AGAIN, ROAMING THE NEWSROOM
- The wonderful Polly:
But most of all, thank you so much to everybody who donated. We’ve been Hannah Jane Parkinson and Emma Howard, and have a great evening.
Updated
We are raising money for nine mental health charities. You have SEVEN minutes left to call in and donate to a cause that affects all of us. Every single one of us: whether we have experienced mental health issues ourselves, or those close to us.
0203 353 4368. Call us now! HJP
Overheard in the newsroom. Giles Fraser to a caller: “You’re worried about your son because he might be voting Ukip?” HJP
Earlier today, a momentous thing happened. Owen Jones created his first vine, it was a thing of beauty.
My first ever vine to ask YOU to ring in to the Guardian mental health Christmas appeal! 02033534368 https://t.co/etIC7FnChF
— Owen Jones (@OwenJones84) December 13, 2014
He’s finished now. But he had a blast. I mean, I think he did. Dude got free wine and mince pies, so he should have done. Here he is thanking all of you lovely readers for donating:
HJP
Updated
THERE IS ONLY HALF AN HOUR LEFT
DONATE NOW TO GET ALAN RUSBRIDGER TO STAY ON AS EDITOR IN CHIEF. MAYBE.
0203 353 4368
HJP
Updated
Overheard in the newsroom:
Caller: “Hello, are you Owen Jones? Can I speak to Owen Jones?”
Giles Fraser: “It’s Giles Fraser. Sorry I’m not Owen Jones.”
Caller: “Yes, I’m sorry too.”
Ouch.
Guardian staff are out here answering your calls like:
Call us on 0203 353 4368.
HJP
Updated
Here’s some messages from our journalists who have been in the newsroom today. We still have plenty of QUALITY GUARDIAN PRODUCT answering the phones (see previous posts). So do call. 0203 353 4368.
Paul Johnson (deputy editor)
Jess Cartner-Morley (fashion editor)
Ian Cobain (senior reporter)
Overheard in the newsroom:
Simon Hattenstone, features writer, picking up a plastic cup: “Wine’s very nice”.
Please, quick, someone call him up to stop him getting wasted. 0203 353 4368.
HJP
SHAMI CHAKRABARTI IS IN THE BUILDING
Also in the newsroom for you to speak to until 6pm are:
Deputy comment editor, David Shariatmadari
Features writers:
Transport correspondent Gwyn Topham
Legal correspondent Owen Bowcott
and columnists:
and Catherine Bennett.
CALL: 0203 353 4368 to speak to them and donate money to mental health charities, which need your support this Christmas. HJP
Updated
Overheard in the newsroom:
Simon Hattenstone to a caller: “Um, I’m afraid I can’t help you to set up your own charity. But you can donate to the ones we’re supporting…” HJP
Updated
Three mugs left to claim! Donate £100 asap to claim yours! 0203353 4368.
Overheard in the newsroom:
Guardian journalist, priest and former canon of St Paul’s cathedral Giles Fraser: “This isn’t a competition.”
Everybody else: “YES IT IS”.
As a result, Giles is losing the competition. Please call and ask for Giles to make his Christmas. Here he is, waiting for your calls.
KLAXON: GUARDIAN MUGS COMPETITION
Ok. Here’s an incentive to get dialling. I’ve filched five branded mugs from the office. The next five people who call in and donate £100, you will all get a GUARDIAN BRANDED MUG, unable to buy. You might be thinking “a mug is not worth £100”. And you’d be right.
But they are so very handsome, there is a choice of colours, you cannot purchase them, and also THIS IS FOR CHARITY, YEAH?
So, get calling. 0203 353 4368. And when you do, make sure you mention that you want a mug, and that Hannah is sorting the mugs, and the first five will get one. HJP
Overheard in the newsroom:
Caller: “And what do you write about?”
Julian Borger, diplomatic editor: “Well, I write about foreign affairs. So torture, mostly”.
HJP
“I’d give my legs if my head would be OK."
We know that you call our telethon to speak to your favourite journalists.
But we also know you call to donate to some charities doing life-changing work. So we thought you’d like to hear from them:
“Schools need to realise that something needs to be in place in school time, not just afterwards, because you might have to be home to look after your mum or dad.”
That’s 15 year old Joel, whose father was diagnosed with depression two years ago. He is part of Kidstime, the charity that supports children and young people whose parents have mental health illnesses.
“Being sectioned was soul-destroying – soul-annihilating, actually.”
That’s Marion Janner, who after her own period on a mental health ward, set up Star Wards, to make them happier and healthier places – complete with pets, comedy and drama clubs.
“I’d give my legs if my head would be OK. After I came back from the Gulf, my mother said I was a different person. The anger, the dreams.”
That’s Bobby, a veteran who spent time in Northern Ireland, the Gulf and Bosnia. Charity Gardening Leave is now helping him to recover from the impact that had on his mental health.
“It’s the only place I feel comfortable. Coming here has enabled me to do my art work again, which I was doing when I gave up university 13 years ago.”
That’s Saffron, a photographer with body dismorphic disorder who is part of CoolTan Arts, the creative charity that is run by and for people with mental health conditions
Your donations will make such a difference to people who have live who are affected by mental ill health – an issue that has long been neglected. Thank you.
EH.
Overheard in the newsroom:
Deptuy editor Paul Johnson, on the phone: “How long have you been a Guardian reader for then?”
Answer: “Ever since The Times started charging”. #PAYWALL HJP
Updated
Here’s a few messages from some of the Guardian journalists who have been involved today. Get calling: 0203 353 4368.
Ewen MacAskill (defence and intelligence correspondent, PULITZER PRIZE winner)
Esther Addley (senior news writer) and Clare Margetson (assistant editor)
Stuart Heritage (features writer and critic)
Sally Weale (education correspondent)
Peter Bradshaw (film critic)
Jon Henley (features writer)
Want to talk to Owen Jones? WHO DOESN’T WANT TO TALK TO OWEN JONES? LOOK HOW HANDSOME HE IS.
Give me a call on 0203 353 4368 now and donate to the Guardian mental health Xmas appeal! http://t.co/w2n58f53zp pic.twitter.com/eYWohhvytS
— Owen Jones (@OwenJones84) December 13, 2014
Want to talk to Jess Cartner-Morley? WHO DOESN’T WANT TO TALK TO JESS CARTNER-MORLEY? SHE’S A QUEEN.
It's the Guardian telethon!! raising money for mental health charities. Call & donate 0203 353 4368 anytime b4 6pm (I am on the phones 2-4)
— Jess Cartner-Morley (@JessC_M) December 13, 2014
We’ve got a whole bunch of esteemed Guardian staff here, right now. Until 4pm, before a shift change:
Deputy Editor Paul Johnson, data reporter Ami Sedghi, health correspondent Denis Campbell, social affairs editor Patrick Butler, Observer Commissioning Editor Ed Cumming, Saturday writer Archie Bland, diplomatic editor Julian Borger and senior reporters Tracy McVeigh and Ian Cobain. HJP
Updated
BREAKING NEWS: Message from Alan Rusbridger
Our editor-in-chief, Alan Rusbridger, aka Big Al, aka A-Rus as he’s known here in the office , has written us a little message to support the Christmas appeal, straight from the airport in Australia, and it’s lovely:
We realise given the earlier snap of Polly Toynbee in a “hat”, you might be doubting that this is the true word of Al himself. But, Guardian word of honour, this is straight from the EIC himself. The top dog. The big cheese. The No. 1 don etc.
So please call 0203 353 4368 to give to mental health charities that could really use your support this Christmas. HJP
Fashion Editor Jess-Cartner Morley is in the house – with her incredible Christmas shoes
Also waiting for your calls right now are: Deputy Editor Paul Johnson, data reporter Ami Sedghi, health correspondent Denis Campbell, social affairs editor Patrick Butler, Observer Commissioning Editor Ed Cumming, Saturday writer Archie Bland, diplomatic editor Julian Borger and reporters Tracy McVeigh and Ian Cobain.
EH.
Updated
EXCLUSIVE photograph from earlier, featuring Polly Toynbee in a Santa hat. Kind of. HJP
READERS DONATE OVER £10,000
We’re half way through the Guardian Christmas appeal telethon.
So far, generous readers, you have rung in and donated a whopping £10,045.
Thank you. Your money is going to support nine inspiring mental health charities who support people from youth offenders to veterans with PTSD.
Last year readers donated more than £26,000 during the telethon. Can you help us beat that?
EH
Updated
Answering your phones on the Guardian and Observer hotline like:
Unfortunately, we don’t have any actual dogs answering the phones. But we did have one in the office earlier in the day:
That’s Buddy, who works with the charity Star Wards, making mental health wards better places. HJP
ALL STAR Guardian cast here, ready and waiting to take your calls and, well, YOUR MONEY. Fancy chatting to our G2 team? PULITZER PRIZE WINNER EWEN MACASKILL? Diarist Hugh Muir (who has two phones cos he’s so badass)? And countless other luminaries, call: 0203 353 4368.
All your money is going to nine mental health charities. One in four of us have experience of mental health issues, so this is a widespread issue. It’s Christmas. Help. HJP
We’d like to give a special shout out to Syd, 95, who has been reading the Guardian since 1948 and thinks we have a “very strong female columnist line-up.”
Why thank you Syd! And thank you for your donation and 66 years of loyal reading.
EH
Updated
In tribute to Peter Bradshaw...
As our esteemed film critic finishes his shift, we would like to pay tribute to the stellar efforts of Peter Bradshaw today for his entirely factual twitter based reporting.
Thank you Peter. We are clearly neglecting our live blogging duties.
Sir Bob addresses the UN on the advisability of phoning the @guardian charity appeal on 020-3353 4368 pic.twitter.com/SKPLHKBDwL
— Peter Bradshaw (@PeterBradshaw1) December 13, 2014
A loyal reader rings the Guardian Christmas Charity Appeal. Call now on 020-3353 4368 pic.twitter.com/NclolNJ1ZZ
— Peter Bradshaw (@PeterBradshaw1) December 13, 2014
This man has just donated to the Guardian Christmas Charity Appeal. You can be like him. Call me on 020-3353 4368 pic.twitter.com/d3gxpnzdma
— Peter Bradshaw (@PeterBradshaw1) December 13, 2014
Another Guardian reader rings in to the Guardian Christmas Charity Appeal. Call now on 020-3353 4368 #gdntelethon pic.twitter.com/wtBuq6nPcw
— Peter Bradshaw (@PeterBradshaw1) December 13, 2014
Readers have been showing their appreciation...
Just spoke to @PeterBradshaw1 at the @guardian Christmas appeal telethon. He loved 'what we did in the shadows' too
— Matty Tong (@mattytong) December 13, 2014
EH
Updated
Overheard in the newsroom, spoken to Lucy Mangan: “Lucy, didn’t you take my Mum last year?”
HJP
All of these lovely folks are available to take your calls now. Except for Stuart, who left after manning the phones this morning. From left to right: Stuart Heritage, Amelia Gentleman, Lucy Mangan and John Crace. CALL 0203 353 4368.
HJP
WIN TICKETS TO A GUARDIAN LIVE EVENT
Don’t forget that every reader that calls and donates to the appeal today will be entered into a prize draw to win one of ten pairs of tickets to a Guardian Live event – where we bring you closer to the people and ideas behind our journalism. So far this year more than 12,000 people have joined Guardian journalists for conversations with Edward Snowden, Russell Brand, Vivienne Westwood, Jimmy Page and many more.
EH.
Breaking: G2 Commissioning Editor Nosheen Iqbal is upping the stakes with a pledge and her direct line number.....
Ok. Going to marker G2 on my face if you donate at LEAST £100. Direct line 0203 353 3029 It's for an excellent cause! http://t.co/Ggct4cBNGf
— Nosheen Iqbal (@NosheenIqbal) December 13, 2014
EH
Here’s Esther Addley, senior news writer, and real-life BFF associate editor, Clare Margetson, with a cameo from Clare’s son Sam.
Overheard in the newsroom: “Just got £100!” (Clare). It’s pretty competitive, to be honest. HJP
Updated
Unfortunately Janine Gibson, Editor-in-Chief of theguardian.com, can no longer make it in today. But she is so dedicated to your calls she is offering to take them from home....
Can't get to office for @guardian xmas appeal due to child issue, but if you ring 02033534368 & give generously they'll give you my mobile..
— Janine Gibson (@janinegibson) December 13, 2014
HERE IS WHERE YOUR MONEY IS GOING:
Update on the charities you are all generously donating to, which you can read more about here.
Centre for Mental Health is an independent national charity. We aim to inspire hope, opportunity and a fair chance in life for people of all ages with or at risk of mental ill health.
CoolTan Arts is an arts in mental health organisation who believe mental wellbeing is enhanced by the power of creativity.
Gardening Leave is a horticultural therapy charity that helps troubled armed forces veterans with mental health issues
Kidstime Foundation provide information, resources, and support for children and young people who are the carers of parents or siblings that have a mental illness, as well as all children affected by a parent’s mental illness.
MAC-UK was founded in 2008 to radically transform the way we think about and promote mental health for excluded young people.
Mind. Every year, one in four of us will experience a mental health problem. We believe no-one should have to face a mental health problem alone.
Rethink Mental Illness is a charity that believes a better life is possible for millions of people affected by mental illness.
Samaritans’ vision is that fewer people die by suicide. We’re always here – round the clock, every single day of the year - for someone to talk to when things are getting to them. They don’t have to be suicidal.
Star Wards helps make mental health inpatient wards a better, gentler experience for everyone – patients, staff and visitors. HJP
Someone just donated £300 to Nosheen Iqbal, G2’s features commissioning editor and radio critic. “He was a really nice professor”, says Nosheen. No news yet on whether it was Brian Cox.
Here is the Nosheen, coming to you live:
Done! Cough up people! @archiebland @D_Shariatmadari @PatrickKingsley @NosheenIqbal pic.twitter.com/1cqa92x1GB
— Guardian G2 (@guardiang2) December 13, 2014
HJP
Buddy the dog is the special friend of Marion Janner, the brilliant founder of Star Wards. Marion and Star Wards work towards making mental health wards nice, brighter placer – and Buddy helps do that! He’s come to visit the Guardian to give us an example of how he cheers up the wards.
Stuart Heritage visited Star Wards last week, read about it all here. And follow Star Wards on Twitter here.
“I’m incredibly glad to be here”, said Buddy, speaking to the Guardian. “Please call on 0203 353 4368”.
Here’s a lovely picture of Marion, Stuart and Buddy:
HJP
THERE IS A DOG IN THE OFFICE WEARING A CHRISTMAS JUMPER
Guardian columnist, leader writer and all round troublemaker Hugh Muir has entered the building.
So have Ewen MacAskill, Lucy Mangan, John Crace, Damian Carrington, Peter Bradshaw, G2 editors Malik Meer and Tim Lusher, Clare Margetson and Nosheen Iqbal.
All they want for Christmas are your phone calls.
Updated
Our illustrious film critic, Peter Bradshaw is in the house, ready and waiting to take your call on 0203 353 4368. CALL NOW etc. He’s incredibly charming, and secretly, his favourite film is Mariah Carey’s autobiographical Glitter. HJP
Are there any famous faces out there who would like to ring in and join the fun?
Last year this man rang in.
And according to film critic Peter Bradshaw this is the caller of most note this year*
This man has just donated to the Guardian Christmas Charity Appeal. You can be like him. Call me on 020-3353 4368 pic.twitter.com/d3gxpnzdma
— Peter Bradshaw (@PeterBradshaw1) December 13, 2014
*We have not been able to independently verify this information.
EH
I asked Stu Heritage, as one of the wittiest writers we have, to say something amusing. I mean, it didn’t exactly go to plan. But he does an excellent Christmas joke. Call and he might tell you one. He’s also wearing an excellent sweater. HJP
Updated
We’re playing Christmas music in the office. Any suggestions for the playlist? Personally I’m a big fan of Cyndi Lauper and The Hives’ alternate Christmas take, Christmas Duel. But Peter Andre’s latest effort is also pretty strong. (I’m not even joking).
Let us you know our own suggestions in the comments below! And we’ll put some up throughout the day and ALL BE INTRODUCED TO NEW MUSIC. HJP
Overheard in the newsroom: “I feel lonely and unpopular”.
That’s famous TV critic and “wonderful person with many qualities”, Stuart Heritage. After 90 minutes, nobody has yet called to speak to him. Somebody did follow him on twitter though.
Is there anybody out there who would like to call 0203 353 4368 now and show Stuart Heritage some love?
EH
Someone call Sally Weale now on 0203 353 4368, I can hear her literally chatting to her mate, organising something later on today. Although she did receive a £300 donation from her very first caller. So she’s doing a pretty fabulous job, all told. May have had a previous career in sales. HJP
Any good telethon needs a target.
During last year’s telethon readers donated £26,578 to four charities using technology to change lives in Africa.
Can you beat that today? You’ve already donated £5,915 so our hopes are high....
Last year somebody donated £2,000 in a single phone call.
bloody hell someone's just given 2 grand to me at guardian telethon. well not to me, more to africa - but i'm buzzing
— Simon Hattenstone (@shattenstone) December 21, 2013
This may or may not have been related to what was on offer.
I'm here at the guardian telethon 0203 353 4368. ready for love, abuse indifference. Anything. So long as it involves money
— Simon Hattenstone (@shattenstone) December 21, 2013
EH
In case you thought all anybody ever ate at The Guardian was quinoa and muesli, this is actually what’s giving us sustenance at present:
Want to know what the rest of the Guardian team eat for breakfast*? Of course you do. CALL 0203 353 4368 to find out.
*Stu Heritage just drinks a bottle of amaretto. HJP
Hannah Jane Parkinson here. The wonderful Emma Howard and I will be manning the Christmas Appeal live blog for today, and we’re here to bring you festive fun, Christmas cheer, and the occasional awkward sober post to guilt trip you into donating to nine brilliant mental health charities, which you can read about here.
Overheard in the newsroom: the brilliant Gill Phillips, the Guardian’s director of editorial legal services, “I’m not really a lawyer”. Worrying.
HJP
Updated
And we’re off!
Or in fact we were off 45 minutes ago when the first caller rang in.
Thanks so much to everybody who has rang in already – you’ve donated £2,600 in the first half hour!
On the starting line this morning we have columnist Polly Toynbee, critic Stuart Heritage, head of editorial legal service Gill Phillips, education correspondent Sally Weale, the editor of our Teachers’ Network Kate Hodge, investigations correspondent Amelia Hill, Head of Documentaries Charlie Phillips, feature writer Jon Henley, and reporters Amelia Gentleman, Esther Addley and Rob Booth.
You can find all the people manning the phones today here.
Here they are waiting to take your calls....
Updated
