How deep are your pockets?

Tuesday 31 January 2017

It's been confirmed that Take That are to perform in Jersey later this year as part of a fund-raiser for Durrell.

The band will be the star attraction at the Investec Rainforest Ball on the 16th September, with tickets priced at £500 each.

They've been brought over by Elaine and Chris Fairfax, who successfully bid for a private performance from the fab three - Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald - in the BBC's Children in Need auction last year, paying more than a million pounds for the privilege. 

The event will take place at the RJA&HS and is intended to raise money for Sumatran orangutans. Durrell commented:

"All monies raised on the evening will go towards funding a new orangutan haven in Sumatra, and helping Durrell continue with their critical conservation work in the region.

"Thanks to an overwhelmingly kind gift from Elaine and Chris Fairfax we are delighted that Take That will be performing live at The Investec Rainforest Ball. Elaine and Chris are lifelong animal lovers as well as supporters of Durrell who recently bid to have a private concert with Take That through Children in Need.

"Guests will also be treated to an evening of fine dining using ingredients grown in the Durrell gardens, dancing, silent & live auctions plus other exciting entertainment."

It's being reported that there will be capacity for more than 500 people, made up of 55 tables of 10

The news of such a massive band as Take That performing in Jersey has been warmly welcomed on social media:

The news of Elaine Fairfax's massive contribution to Children in Need broke last November, when she told ITV's This Morning program what had happened.

When asked by presenter Eamonn Holmes if it was worth it, she replied: "Yes, absolutely. If a fairy Godmother came along and granted me a wish it would have been this. It was just an opportunity that came along and that's why I just had to win it.

"Myself and my husband really support Children in Need every year and when this came up I thought this is going to be mega bucks. So I thought half a million pounds and then I would pull out after that, but with any auction you start to get into a bit of a frenzy. There was another guy bidding, Patrick and we just kept fighting each other. I thought to myself I am just going to have to get this. When it came to half a million it kicked in with a story about a young lad who had recently lost his father through  cancer and he was talking about the support Children in Need had given to him. I thought why not, let's go for this. 

"My husband said this is going to come in over a million so let's go to £1.1m, you deserve it, so just to have the guys there with me is a dream come true."