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Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Zoom F1 Auction in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity

I know that we've all seen the promotional material for the Zoom F1 charity auction on the 14th September 2012 but, in this period of cutbacks in Government spending and the continuing demand on hospital resources, the need for private donations is ever more vital.  Being a dad I know that, from my perspective, you can't put a price on the work that Great Ormond Street Hospital provides.

It serves the UK but also is counted as one of the Go-To hospitals for children from all over the world when cutting edge medicine is needed.

I'll refer to the 2010/2011 Impact Report quoting the Executive Director's statement:


The generosity of individuals and organisations allows us to make significant advances in how we are able to care for children and their families. While the NHS funds the day-to-day running of the hospital, the donations allow us to pioneer new research projects, buy specialist equipment and support families who rely on us. They are also allowing us to fund the biggest redevelopment in the hospital’s history...

...The Morgan Stanley Clinical Building is the first part of the Mittal Children’s Medical Centre, with the second building planned to open in 2016. Together, these two buildings will allow us to care for up to 20 per cent more children who need the specialist and expert care that, in some instances, is only available at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

My point being that, this hospital is at the forefront of children's medicine and needs support over and above that which they receive from the Government coffers.

The Zoom auction includes photographs taken by Former F1 stars such as:
Damon Hill, Jarno Trulli and Mario Andretti (if the picture of his Ferrari get together is to be believed).

Team Principals such as:
Ross Brawn, Tony Fernandes (who probably took a pic of QPR given the amount of tweeting he does about them), Christian Horner, Peter Sauber, Martin Whitmarsh and Sir Frank W.

and numerous F1 drivers who I won't single out in case someone gets upset at their omission.

I will say that Adrian Newey is one of the contributors and I would expect that, given his expertise, he will have spent a lot of time coming up with the perfect shot of his favourite subject (which of his championship cars will he pick?)

You can get a flavour of the pictures either on the Zoom facebook site or at on Pitpass where they have a couple of ones you might not have seen before.

The contributors were asked to take a photograph of whatever subject they wanted.  Mark Webber took his two dogs, Mario took the Ferrari Club (let's face it they're probably all his), Lewis took the following Driver's Eye View from his "office",


Bruno loves the beach, For Sergio it was all about his dog, For Seb it was the red wall mountain in Austria and for Peter Sauber it was the view from his house (lucky devil!)



The images have been signed by the "photographer" and will be auctioned off to raise money for the Hospital Charity by Coys Auctioneers, who specialise in motorsport and historic car auctions.

The live auction will take place in the ballroom of the Wyndham Grand London Chelsea Harbour, the capital's only 5 star all-suite hotel.

Of course this is not a commercial Blog so I derive no benefit from, nor do I endorse the groups who are providing their services to facilitate this auction.  I trust they are providing these service free of charge and I commend them on that basis.  If they'd like to pay me a small stipend for naming them...Damn! I guess it's probably too late for that given I've already mentioned them, do you think they noticed?

Anyway, for those with the cash I urge you to get behind the auction which is for a very worthy cause and no doubt there will be a facility, on the night, for those without that cash to make their own, meagre contributions.