Thursday December 10, 2009
Tasmanian celebrities Jo Palmer, David Boon and Peter Cundall
support eBay auction for leading children’s charity
Tasmanian celebrities Jo Palmer, David Boon and Peter Cundall have turned baby blankets into art
collectables in support of Save the Children’s eBay auction to raise funds to help toddlers, young children
and their families in some of the poorest countries in the world.
Peter’s baby blanket features the twin daughters – Rose and Violet – of ABC TV’s Gardening Australia host
Sophie Thomson, and deftly weaves together themes of childhood innocence and his passion for
horticulture. “Children are the most important people in the word,” Cundall said. “Little children are the
most precious and vulnerable of all.”
The tragic death of a little boy called Max inspired Jo to support Save the Children’s celebrity baby blanket
auction. “A first time mum who is a journalist in our newsroom lost her little boy Max,” Palmer said. “The
heartache she and her family experienced was gut wrenching. As a mother of three with another on the
way, I know the very precious gift every child is to the world. Baby Max was my inspiration for my baby
blanket.”
Jo, Peter and David are joined by a string of high profile Australians who have decorated baby blankets for
Save the Children’s eBay auction including cricketing legend David Boon, Fuzzy Agolley of Channel Ten’s
Video Hits, and Coach of Collingwood Football Club, Mick Malthouse.
Ending on December 20, the eBay auction is in support of the charity’s Survive to Five campaign to reduce
the infant mortality rates in some of the world’s poorest countries. Worldwide 8.8 million children under
the age of five die each year. Many of these deaths are from preventable causes such as pneumonia,
diarrhoea, malaria and measles. Others die from malnutrition, lack of clean water or due to poverty.
Survive to Five is calling on rich countries including Australia to help improve the health and wellbeing of
newborns and children in poor countries. It is estimated that 4.2 million more health workers are needed
globally in order to reduce child death by two-thirds.
Celebrities who have decorated baby blankets in support of Save the Children’s Survive to Five campaign
include:
Guy Grossi – T V celebrity chef
Mick Malthouse – Coach of Collingwood Football Club
Rachel Friend – TV Personality
Liza Emmanuelle – Australian fashion designer
Fuzzy Agolley – Presenter of Channel Ten’s Video Hits
Peter Cundall – Former host of ABC TV’s Gardening Australia
Jo Palmer – Host of Tasmania’s Southern Cross Nightly News and former Miss Australia
David Boon – Former Australian cricketer
Valentino Rossi – Nine time world champion motorcycle racer
For an interview with a celebrity supporter of Save the Children
call Ian Woolverton on 0437 355 096
NEWS 
