Singer Paloma Faith said the public’s donations for her charity clothes sale for Gaza and Lebanon “gives me hope that good people do exist”.
The Only Love Can Hurt Like This star sold her clothes, bags and accessories, including a Halloween outfit she shared with Alan Carr, a Dolce and Gabbana denim jacket donated by rapper Eve, and silky pyjamas to raise money for Oxfam’s Gaza-Lebanon appeal.
Paloma Faith sells her clothes to raise money for Gaza
The 43-year-old offered fans the chance to purchase her stage and screen looks at a pop-up shop at The Gipsy Queen in Kentish Town, north London on Wednesday – with items ranging from £20 to £150.
Fans could also donate an additional £20 to take a selfie with Faith, who has been an ambassador for Oxfam since 2013.
She joked in an Instagram promoting the sale: “And if you slip me £20 I’ll take a selfie with you (just make sure to get my good side hahahaha).”
Speaking after the event, she told the PA news agency: “I’ve donated some performance outfits, appearance outfits and one Halloween costume that I did with Alan Carr for the Shining twins and loads of shoes and a mixture of affordable things and expensive things.
“My friend Eve, who is the rapper of Who’s That Girl, also donated some of her things.”
“I’d like to say thank you to everyone who put their money where their heart is and did something to change lives, even if it’s the minimum of what we can do,” Faith said.
“It gives me hope that good people do exist because sometimes you can feel deflated by all the arseholes in the world.”
The event comes a day after a truce, announced on Tuesday night, would see hostilities between Israel and the Lebanese military group Hezbollah suspended for 60 days, with both sides withdrawing from southern Lebanon.
All proceeds raised from the sale will go towards Oxfam’s appeal helping to provide aid for those living in Gaza and Lebanon as well as people who have been displaced or fled their homes.
The charity hopes to provide emergency food, clean water, hygiene kits and water repairs.
She added: “The situation in Gaza is beyond horrifying. People are living in fear every day, without enough food or water and under constant bombardment, while in Lebanon shelters are overwhelmed with over a million people fleeing the escalation in violence.
“I am so grateful for everyone who came along last night to my pop-up shop to help us raise vital funds where they are needed so desperately.”
Magnus Corfixen, Oxfam’s humanitarian lead, said the team shared their gratitude for Faith’s pop-up sale.
He said: “We are immensely grateful to Paloma, and everyone who supported her amazing pop-up shop last night, to help raise urgently needed funds to help people in Gaza and Lebanon whose lives has been devastated by conflict.
“Please continue to donate what you can to help us save lives now, and to help us scale up our humanitarian response when it is safe to do so.”