Surveying a sea of famous faces, including Princess Eugenie, in the vast marquee as he takes in the momentous efforts of the day, Simon Cowell seems visibly moved. The music mogul and TV presenter’s fiancée, Lauren Silverman has helped put together an emotional fundraiser in the Cotswolds for the Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity, an event that more than quadrupled its initial target of £250,000, raising £1.1m towards building a children’s cancer centre at the world-famous hospital.
The famously acerbic host, who has considerably softened since becoming a father, has lent his enthusiastic support to the event, held in the magnificent surroundings of the 4,000 acre Great Tew estate in the heart of the Oxfordshire countryside. The day’s events include a fast-paced and entertaining auction compered by Jeremy Clarkson, a delicious three-course lunch catered by Daylesford Organic and a clay pigeon shoot attended by Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
Championing the cause
“I really felt that everyone was here for the right reasons,” Simon tells hello!, which was invited to exclusively cover the moving and emotional fundraiser. “There was a really good atmosphere. Everyone wanted it to succeed and they were passionate about it. [In the speeches] we kept using the word ‘hope’, because what this charity does is give people hope.”
Simon and Lauren’s son Eric joined them for the charity auction
Simon is full of pride that Lauren, with whom he has an 11-year-old son, Eric, organised everything with her co-chair Saskia Johnston, whose family owns the Great Tew estate, where the shoot and lunch are held. Lauren, in turn, is just as proud of him, because hello! can reveal that the star, 65, has just been appointed patron of the charity. “It’s such an honour because of the work they do,” he says. “I’m a dad and if kids are sick, it’s the worst thing you can imagine in the world. I hope I can bring awareness to what they do.”
American-born Lauren, 48, who also has a son, Adam, 19, from a previous marriage and is an ambassador for the charity, adds: “I am honoured to be able to support him as patron. It’s something that the two of us are passionate about – anything to do with children, we feel very strongly about. Hopefully this is the first of many great things we will be able to do.”
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The charity clay shoot was hosted by Simon and Lauren’s close friend Saskia Johnston
Simon and Lauren have a home in the Cotswolds, which they visit regularly from their base in London, and the former judge of The X Factor tells us that he can see himself moving to this part of the world permanently. “I could, actually, yes,” he says. “It’s brilliant and everything you want is here. I go on my electric bike, I have remote-control cars, a drone… it’s about being outside, whether you walk or bike-ride, and I love the little villages.”
Lauren adds that the family spends valuable time away from their electronic devices while in the area. “We do things with the kids that don’t involve computers or phones or tablets when we’re here,” she says. “We’re outside or doing things other than being consumed by the screen, so it’s healthy and wholesome.”
They have become friends with other famous names who live in the area, including TV presenter Jeremy, and Beatrice and Eugenie. The royal sisters were delighted to lend their support to the cause. “The most amazing thing about GOSH is that they deliver such wonderful medical care to these children. No matter what you are doing, taking the time to focus on children’s health is the most important thing,” Beatrice, who attends with her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, tells us. “After having my own children, you recognise that coming together to support children’s medical welfare is the most incredible thing you can do with your time.”
Royal Assent
Eugenie adds: “It was very important for me to support Simon, Lauren and Saskia today. I think what GOSH is doing for children is fantastic. Having two children of my own, you see just how much it changes you as a person to be a mum, and now it means more to me than ever to support those with children who are unwell. I am so honoured to be here today and to support the charity.”
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Princess Beatrice showed her support for Great Ormond Street
Jeremy, who lives nearby and helped maximise the money raised on the day thanks to his hilariously dry turn as auctioneer, tells us: “There is a nice quote I heard, which is: ‘Trying to determine why some people don’t get better gives them hope, and hope is half the battle.’ So if there is the money to look into why, the people who are suffering have hope, which is so important.”
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Nicholas Johnston and Princess Eugenie attend an event
Guests bid up to £100,000 each for luxurious auction prizes including seven nights in a Swiss chalet, a culinary experience with Prue Leith that involves her cooking a three-course lunch, and a week-long holiday in Barbados. Other VIP guests include the interior designer Kelly Hoppen, the Real Housewives of London star Juliet Angus, Richard Branson’s daughter Holly, Millie Mackintosh and her husband, Hugo Taylor, and Jeremy’s long-term partner Lisa Hogan, who stars with him on Clarkson’s Farm.
Helping hands
“What the charity is doing for children’s cancer is extraordinary, so I was very happy to be here supporting it,” Lisa tells us. “Lauren is fantastic and Simon is an interesting, lovely character, so it was important to support them.”
Another guest whose presence means a lot to Simon and Lauren is their son. “It’s hugely important for him to see us here today,” Simon says. “We have a foundation and I hope and believe that one day he will run it. He bid for something today with part of his pocket money and I watched him listening [to the fundraising].”
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During the auction, 16-year-old Alyssa moved everyone to tears when she took to the stage and gave a speech
One of the most moving moments comes when 16-year-old Alyssa tells guests how she was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia when she was 12. After chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant failed, she had resigned herself to dying before a new drug being trialled at GOSH saved her life.
“To know that so many people care and are willing to donate to Great Ormond Street is amazing, because when you’re in hospital, you feel so alone,”Alyssa tells hello!. “You feel as though there’s no one out there, but being here today, surrounded by so many people who care so much, is amazing.”
“I’m a dad and if kids are sick, it’s the worst thing you can imagine in the world. I hope I can bring awareness to what they do.”
Simon Cowell
“She spoke so well, so passionately, and I genuinely think that, because of her, we doubled our expectations,” Simon says. “She probably raised a minimum of £500,000 or £600,000 just by talking the way she did. She was that good.” Famously a workaholic when he found fame as a judge on Pop Idol, Simon now says that he relishes having a more relaxed life. “I actually think that if you don’t know what you’re doing next, life is more exciting. I try not to have so much of a schedule any more, so I don’t have to plan everything in advance.
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Jeremy Clarkson brought his usual candour to a charity auction, leading the Great Ormond Street to raise £1 million
“I’m always working on other ideas and I don’t want to jinx anything by saying what they are, but I’m happy. I talk to myself every day and say: ‘I just want peace.’ I have a guardian angel, and I talk to it and we talk about peace. That’s all I want,” he says.
Youthful enthusiasm
He is also delighted to learn recently that he is ageing backwards. “Based on a number of things, I’m statistically a year younger than I was a year ago. I have my blood analysed and filtered at a wellness clinic and they said I was one year younger. I’m not kidding. So this month I will be 64, and the following year, I will be 63… you can age backwards if you want!” With youth on his side, Simon has also recently discovered a few basic skills in the kitchen, and gives us his latest tips.
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Jeremy Clarkson’s wife Lisa Hogan was in attendance
“I make the best baked beans on toast,” he says. “You have to cook the baked beans for 30 minutes or it zaps the flavour, and you can’t microwave them. Then you need white sliced bread cut into triangles. Use salted butter and put the beans in the middle, so the toast doesn’t go soggy.” Recipe tips aside, both he and Lauren intend to carry on helping the charity as much as they can. “I would love to set the bar even higher and keep going and going,” Lauren says. “We’ve got some other good ideas that we’ve already shared with the team, so I hope we can make some of it come to fruition.”
To find out more about the Children’s Cancer Centre at GOSH and donate to the Build it. Beat it. appeal, visit gosh.org/cancer