"I can only send you my heartfelt gratitude.”
Abhishek Bachchan was among over 300 guests who attended the star-studded British Asian Trust gala.
King Charles III is the Royal Founding Patron of the British Asian Trust and the charity‘s annual dinner and reception was held at the Peninsula London.
In a message to the attendees, the King said:
“The British Asian Trust continues to play a vital role in addressing some of the most pressing challenges across South Asia.
“The Trust’s innovative approach, rooted in collaboration and a deep understanding of the region, is a beacon of hope for countless communities.
“I am deeply heartened by your commitment to creating sustainable change and empowering lives.
“Your unwavering support and generosity are what make these efforts possible and, for that, I can only send you my heartfelt gratitude.”
The event was hosted by British Asian Trust Ambassador and radio presenter Nihal Arthanayake.
As well as Abhishek, other high-profile guests included Gurinder Chadha OBE, Amy Jackson, Ed Westwick, Nina Nannar, Kemi Badenoch MP and Kumar Sangakkara.
Highlights of the event included performances by Kanika Kapoor and magician Magic Singh.
There were also speeches by Sir Sadiq Khan and MP Wes Streeting.
On the night, Sir Sadiq Khan said: “I’m a proud Brit and I’m a proud Londoner at the same time, I’m also someone who is very proud of my Pakistani heritage and Asian identity, and so I’m grateful to have this opportunity to come back again to this annual dinner and show my support for your incredible efforts.”
Over £750,000 was raised which will be used to support the British Asian Trust’s groundbreaking work in child protection, education, livelihoods, mental health and conservation.
A live auction featured a raft of exclusive prizes from generous supporters including:
- Exclusive access to the Owner’s Box at a Mumbai Indians home game as part of a luxury holiday package donated by the Ambani family.
- VIP Formula One Experience in Abu Dhabi.
- VIP packages for the Wimbledon Men’s finals and The Hundred’s final day at Lords.
- VIP concert tickets donated by British Asian Trust Ambassador, Katy Perry, for her upcoming UK Tour.
British Asian Trust CEO Richard Hawkes said:
“The money raised tonight will help keep children safe and in school.”
“It will provide young people with skills and training to help them secure long-term employment, and it will fund groundbreaking mental health and conservation work.”
Since its inception in 2007, the British Asian Trust has been working with marginalised communities in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and has had a positive impact on the lives of more than 13 million people.
In the past year alone, the British Asian Trust has launched several ambitious programmes and initiatives.
They include:
- LiftEd – a social finance initiative to improve literacy and numeracy for four million children in India.
- Milkar – a nationwide mental health campaign which aims to reach up to 180 million people in Pakistan.
- A new mental health and livelihoods programme to support acid attack survivors in Bangladesh.
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