Bangkok--3 Mar--
IN AID OF WOUNDED SERVICEMEN’SNORTH POLE WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT
This morning, the Grammy award winning rock icons, Duran Duran have announced a special live performance at Battersea Power Station on Thursday March 3rd in support of the upcoming Walking with the Wounded North Pole expedition. The expedition, which it is hoped Prince Harry will be able to join, begins at the end of March, and will see a team of eight servicemen, including four wounded soldiers (of which two are amputees) walk 200 nautical miles to reach the North Pole. Funds raised from the expedition will help retrain and rehabilitate injured service men and women from the British Armed Forces back into employment.
The band will be performing songs from their latest album “ALL YOU NEED IS NOW” at Battersea’s landmark venue, which organisers have turned into a chilly Arctic snow-scape, as part of the Ice & Diamond themed expedition farewell party fundraiser. Tickets for the Ball were snapped up within hours of going on sale, with prime corporate seats going for a charity-busting ?1,000 per head.
The evening, which will be hosted by a surprise British celebrity, and supported by rugby legend Martin Bayfield, will include live entertainment from X Factor star Olly Murs and headline artists Duran Duran. Auction prizes for the night include a rare 100-year-old bottle of Whyte & Mackay whisky, found buried in the ice below Shakleton’s hut in Antarctica; limited edition David Bailey signed prints; and the use of a private mega-yacht for a week.
On Tuesday February 15th, as part of the fundraising efforts, Duran Duran launched a text to donate radio campaign across the UK, where singer Simon Le Bon encouraged the public to donate ?5 to the charity by simply texting WALK to 70777.
Speaking today from the studio, where they are preparing for their upcoming world tour, Le Bon commented; “I remember when I first heard about the expedition, and I just thought that these guys must have balls of steel and were setting such a great example to others I wanted to get up and do something. We’re all really pleased to be showing our support for these remarkable men who will be undertaking such a life changing challenge”.
Expedition Patron, His Royal Highness Prince Harry comments: “This polar adventure will exemplify the tenacity and courage of those who serve in uniform. ‘Walking with the Wounded’ promises to be remarkable. I salute the Team walking to the North Pole in early 2011, and I urge the public to get behind them.”
Capt. Guy Disney, one of the amputee wounded servicemen, who lost a leg in Afghanistan comments: “It’s incredible to have Prince Harry as our Patron, and to know that he’s asked his favourite band to come along and support us at our farewell party. The North Pole is an uninhabitable environment, and we will endure nearly a month on the ice, fighting off polar bears and literally striving for success. Failure is not an option in this terrifying World Record attempt”.
Duran Duran are encouraging donations to the charity, please go to www.walkingwiththewounded.org.uk to donate.
For further information on either the Ice & Diamonds Ball or Walking with the Wounded, please contact;
Danielle Spriggs at Captive Minds
(E)
[email protected]
(T) 0207 422 8260