Red carpet event raises funds for animal charity

Stars and their pooches attended a glamorous night on December 6. The Mayhew Animal Home hosted its Tinsel and Tails Christmas Fundraiser at The Grand Connaught Rooms. More than 250 people appeared at the annual event in Central London, sponsored this year by Tails.com and Sity Walks, to celebrate The Mayhew’s 130th year. Celebrities such as James McVey from The Vamps and Stephanie Pratt gathered to witness some of the The Mayhew's accomplishments from the past year and to raise funds for the animal charity. KISS FM presenter Pandora Christie hosted the evening. Other guests included Danny-Boy Hatchard, Debbie Bright, Marc Abraham, Rumer, Kate Lawler, Olivia Buckland, Danni Menzies and Sue Jameson. The Mayhew Animal Home raised over £23,000 on the night. Guests enjoyed reception drinks and a three-course meal, and were later treated to entertainment from Bollywood dancers from R&R Productions and an festive-filled auction and raffle. A video showcasing the work of The Mayhew and the variety of different people helped by the Animal Home was shown to barks of appreciation from the audience. It featured the ongoing work taking place in the community assisting pet owners, the homeless, the elderly and vulnerable, to help prevent more animals from ending up in shelters. It also explained how important it is to advise and inform current and prospective pet owners on responsible pet ownership, as well as providing an insight into the organisation’s work overseas. But the real stars of the night were some of The Mayhew’s former and current four-legged residents. Many of these dogs were brought into The Mayhew as strays or victims of neglect and abuse. Most of them are now enjoying life in their new forever homes, while some are still looking for their happily ever after. The Mayhew’s Chief Executive, Caroline Yates, said: “It was a fantastic night and we managed to raise an incredible amount. It was great to see so many people with dogs of all different shapes and sizes on the red carpet.” “Tinsel and Tails is all about celebrating the charity’s work in rescuing and rehoming dogs and cats and raising funds to enable this work to continue. The fundraiser was a great opportunity to highlight some of the many animal welfare issues our staff are faced with every day, including cases of neglect and illegal breeding, and showcasing our ongoing work out in the community helping vulnerable pet owners. The Mayhew receives no government or lottery funding so we rely completely on the generous donations of our supporters.” “I would like to thank everyone who attended and helped us raise awareness of the vital work we do both in the UK and internationally. All the money raised will go towards to helping more animals in need.” Events Officer, Zoe Sheehan, added: “A massive thank you to everyone who attended and helped support The Mayhew, including staff, volunteers and celebrities. It was a great success and we can’t wait to do it all over again next year!” To donate or for more information visit www.themayhew.org/donate.