Gemma Levine FRSA Recollects - "A Glamorous Evening at Claridges Raising Funds and Awareness for Lymphoedema for St George's Hospital Charity'
On May 19th, Gemma Levine created and hosted a glamorous charity evening at Claridges.
Gemma Levine FRSA - Ambassador to St George’s Hospital Charity
"On Monday 19th May I created and therefore hosted, a glamorous evening at Claridges in order to raise funds and awareness for Lymphoedema, for St George’s Hospital Charity.
One of the main objectives was to celebrate Dame Judi Dench’s 90th birthday. I invited famous celebrity sculptor, Frances Segelman to sculpt Dame Judi’s portrait in a 2 hour session in-front of an audience of 200 guests. We raised funds on the evening and with thanks to Frances will be selling a copy of the bust, in bronze. In total, hopefully to raise over £50,000.
For birthday surprises….. I invited Finty Williams, Dame Judi’s daughter, to read a poem to her mother. Simon Callow read a poem written by Christina Rossetti. Finally an opera singer, Soprano Katerina Mina, sang ‘Happy Birthday’. This brought the house down!
About Gemma Levine FRSA
Gemma Levine is a photographer who began her career in 1975. Known for her black-and-white photography, she has published 26 books and held over 60 exhibitions worldwide. Beyond her professional work, Gemma Levine has made a significant contribution to society through her support of numerous charitable causes.
She is particularly recognised for her efforts in bringing awareness of the little-known condition of lymphoedema to a wider public. Terry Waite CBE has commended her for using suffering creatively to bring comfort and help others in this context.
Gemma Levine has supported lymphoedema awareness and fundraising through various initiatives:
• She published the book “LET’S TALK LYMPHOEDEMA” in 2017, together with her co- author, Professor Peter Mortimer, which included a foreword by HRH Princess Alexandra. Playwright Brian Daniels was commissioned to write a play based on this book, planned for 2021.
• Supported by Dame Judi Dench, she launched a ‘Sock Charity Campaign’ for lymphoedema in 2018, which involved photographing people wearing odd socks, including dogs and cows, to raise awareness. BBC TV News and various radio interviews featured this campaign.
• In 2018, she staged a concert with pianist Jeffrey Siegal at the Rudolf Steiner Hall in London, raising awareness and donating all proceeds to the Lymphoedema Support Network. Speakers at this event included Terry Waite, Simon Callow, and Professor Peter Mortimer, who emphasised the need to raise awareness about this disease.
• Supported by Dame Judi Dench, she commissioned artist Rob Carter in 2019 to design a Seasonal Greetings card to be sold for the St George’s Hospital Lymphoedema Research Charity. These cards were sold at various locations, including stores, markets, fairs, and Fortnum and Mason, which also hosted an event to promote the card and cause. 'The Big Issue' also included Gemma's cards in its London edition, promoting awareness and supporting the homeless.
• During her isolation in 2020 due to COVID-19, she published two books, ‘Aqua’ and ‘Blissful Isolation’, specifically to raise awareness and funds for lymphoedema research.
• For her work, particularly during challenging times, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has commended her "fantastic work... even in times of adversity" and stated she received a letter from him commending her work "in the face of overwhelming adversity". Professor Paul Ellis has also noted her incredible energy, zest for life, and profound skill, which she has applied to support charitable causes.
Gemma Levine holds several roles related to this cause, including being an Honorary Member of the Lymphoedema Support Network (2017), a Trustee of the Charity Commission of the Lymphoedema Research Fund (2019), and an Honorary Member of the Lymphatic Education & Research Network USA (2020). Gemma is Ambassador to St George’s Hospital Charity.
