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Babette Cole contributed an original piece of work to a fundraising auction supported by Jeremy Paxman in aid of the charity Book Aid International.

The event took place during the evening of Tuesday 21st February, was generously hosted by Bloomsbury Auctions, Mayfair, London. Babette was delighted to donate a preliminary drawing from her book Three Cheers for Errol as well as a limited edition print of Mummy Laid an Egg.

Book Aid International works to support reading and learning in some of the world’s poorest countries. Education offers a route out of poverty and books are the foundation of lifelong learning, yet the majority of people in Africa cannot afford books of their own. They work in 18 countries with a wide variety of partners including libraries, universities, hospitals and refugee camps, who help them get books to some of the most disadvantaged people in the world.

Letter from Jeremy Paxman
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More than 30 original, handwritten works were kindly donated by well renowned authors for the fundraising auction. Examples include JK Rowling, Jacqueline Wilson, Julian Fellowes, Sebastian Faulks and Richard Curtis, who has written an original Blackadder sketch. Alexander McCall Smith’s piece was illustrated by Hannah Firmin, famous for her cover designs of his ‘No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency’ series. There was also the chance to bid for a trip for two on the Simplon Venice–London Orient Express, afternoon tea with Jacqueline Wilson at the Hay Festival 2006 and other exciting opportunities.

Colin Dexter, David Mitchell, Dick King-Smith, Eoin Colfer, Frederick Forsyth, Iain Banks, Ian Rankin, Louis Theroux, DBC Pierre, Sebastian Barry, Cathy Kelly, Joanna Lumley, Joanna Trollope, Katharine Holabird and Helen Craig, Lynne Truss, Maeve Binchy, Sue Townsend, Susan Fletcher, Susanna Clarke, Wendy Holden, P.D James, Sinead Moriarty, Dr Maya Angelou and Sir Tim Rice have also donated lots for auction.

The event generated a lot of excitement!

• Babette's picture fetched £600 for the charity
• Bob Geldof's cotribution got £480
• Joanna Lumley's got £230
• J.K. Rowling's family tree of the BLACK family got K30!!!!