Stars garden tools help good cause

Friday 4th May 2012

Alan Tichmarsh's pruners and Professor Green's wire brush are among the gardening items raising funds for people in poverty-stricken countries.

Celebrities have customised their own gardening tools, which will be on show at a pop-up shop in Soho as part of Christian Aid Week.

Shoppers can then bid for the items on eBay during the week from May 14 to 19 to raise funds for the charity, which supports poor communities across Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Other items on offer include artist David Shrigley's wellies, actor Kris Marshall's mini gardening set, singer Lemar's watering can, actress Jill Halfpenny's trowel, actress Donna Air's broom and buckets from designer Gary Card.

One of the celebrities taking part is model Tali Lennox, who has customised a watering can for the event.

As a Christian Aid Week ambassador, Tali, daughter of singer Annie Lennox, travelled to Sierra Leone to visit war-torn communities that have already benefited from charity funds.

Tali said: "This was the first time I got to see how small changes can transform lives in such a big way. People are being provided with the kinds of things we in the UK would take for granted. The country has so much potential. They just need the right tools, and that's where the donations have been so vital."

This year the Government will also match the first £5 million donated to the charity during Christian Aid Week as part of its UK Aid Match scheme.

To bid for the gardening tools visit http://www.ebay.co.uk/christianaid.

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