2000: Noah’s Ark Appeal for Wales Children’s Hospital

A reproduction of a poster for a gala charity auction by Christie’s auction house, featuring a black and white photo of singer Dame Shirley Bassey, dressed in a sparkling dress and standing by a microphone. The text on the poster reads: “Christie’s. Dame Shirley Bassey. 50 years of Glittering Gowns. A Gala Charity Event Auction. Thursday 18th September 2003.”
Poster promoting Christie’s auction of Dame Shirley Bassey’s dresses in aid of Noah’s Ark Appeal. Image owned by Christie’s, provided courtesy of the Bassey Blog.

In 2000, the ‘Noah’s Ark Appeal’ was launched to raise funds for a Children’s Hospital for Wales. Phase One of the appeal culminated with the official opening of the hospital in 2006.

The appeal became the most successful fundraising appeal in Wales and garnered substantial support from multiple celebrities: the appeal was launched by singer Charlotte Church, the hospital was officially opened by actress Catherine Zeta-Jones and her actor husband Michael Dougles, and cricketer Ian Botham hosted fundraising walks in aid of the appeal (raising £950,000).

In 2003, singer Dame Shirley Bassey auctioned off many of her gowns in a gala event with the auction house Christie’s – the auction raised £125,000 for the Noah’s Ark Appeal.