Annie Lennox is set to receive the Freedom of the City of London at a ceremony taking place at the City of London’s Guildhall on Tuesday 1 December. Annie was nominated by the British Red Cross International Fundraising Committee, in recognition of her fundraising and humanitarian workThe presentation will take place in the Basinghall Suite at Guildhall and followed by a star-studded gala dinner and musical ‘Tribute to Annie Lennox’, in the Livery Hall. La Roux, Little Boots and the Music for Life African Children’s Choir will be among the performers. Stephen Fry will be the host for evening and Brian Eno will give a speech.
From The British Red Cross : The international fundraising committee of the British Red Cross is proud to present a tribute to Annie Lennox at a gala dinner in London’s historic Guildhall on Tuesday 1 December 2009 (World AIDS Day). The gala will feature surprise performances by her friends and colleagues, and promises to be a unique and sparkling occassion.
Annie Lennox, said:
“As a humanitarian I have long been an admirer of the amazing work of the British Red Cross to tackle HIV across the world and am amazed and honoured to have been acknowledged in this way.”
The Freedom of the City of London is one of the oldest surviving traditional ceremonies in existence today; the first Freedom is thought to have been presented in 1237.
Previous famous recipients include The Queen, Nelson Mandela, Princess Diana, Luciano Pavarotti, Florence Nightingale and Winston Churchill.
For more information on the British Red Cross please visit: www.redcross.org.uk