FIVE to Headline Glasgow Charity Event

We are incredibly privileged to be invited to perform at the Lauren Currie Twilight Foundation annual ball

On Friday 16 September popular 1990s boy band Five will be the headline act at the Lauren Currie Twilight Foundation Black & Red Ball in Glasgow. The Glasgow Radisson Blu Hotel (http://bit.ly/288MNrD) will play host to the milestone event on which will see the charity reach its £500,000 donation mark.

The boy band rose to fame in 1997 with their debut single “Slam Dunk (Da Funk)” which claimed the number 10 spot in the UK singles chart before becoming the NBA’s theme tune. They later went on to release tracks such as “If Ya Getting Down”, “Everybody Get Up” and “Keep On Movin’” which have become some of the most recognisable tunes from the era.

The group have sold 1.6 million albums, 2 million singles in the UK and 20 million singles worldwide. They have also received 18 awards including Best Pop Act (BRIT Awards, 2000), MTV Select Award (MTV Europe Music, 1998), Best Newcomer (Silver Clef, 2000) and Best Music Act on a Reality TV Show (National Reality TV Awards, 2013).

In 2001 the boy band went their separate ways but have since regrouped to perform multiple tours in the UK and Australia. In 2014 Five supported McBusted for four shows on their tour. The band, now consisting of original members Ritchie Neville, Scott Robinson and Sean Conlon, continue to tour and perform together. Five regularly appear at charity events to help raise money for good causes and raise awareness.

Speaking ahead of the event Five said, “We are incredibly privileged to be invited to perform at the Lauren Currie Twilight Foundation annual ball, especially at an important celebratory milestone.

“Lauren’s parents have been spectacular in creating this wonderful event to raise awareness of vasculitis and we are excited to be part of the great work they have achieved.”

The Lauren Currie Twilight Foundation was created by Grant and Adrienne Currie following the death of their 15-year old daughter and only child Lauren in 2010. Lauren had suffered from Wegener’s granulomatosis, a variant of the auto-immune disease vasculitis.

Lauren’s condition was only diagnosed in the final hours of her life and her parents realised that, with earlier diagnosis, her life could have been saved.

Lauren’s father Grant Currie said, “This is a very special year for us as this September would have been Lauren’s twenty-first birthday. Lauren adored popular music and we are extremely thankful to have such an acclaimed and popular band perform at our Black & Red Vasculitis ball. We want to raise the profile of vasculitis on an international level within the medical community and the general public. By encouraging earlier diagnosis, it will reduce cases of severe organ damage and save lives.”

Vasculitis is the inflammation of blood vessels. When blood vessels are inflamed they reduce blood flow to tissues and organs. Any blood vessel can become inflamed and can affect any part of the body. Due to this there are numerous types of vasculitis each with different symptoms. The cause of vasculitis is usually unknown but it can sometimes develop from a previous infection. It is an uncommon illness and can affect people of all ages.

Early diagnosis is important in effective medical care for vasculitis. The Lauren Currie Twilight Foundation has awarded £62,000 of funding to the University of Aberdeen to support a PHD project on vasculitis.

The Lauren Currie Twilight Foundation is one of only two vasculitis-specific charities operating in the UK. It is happy to collaborate with other relevant charities that support the fight against vasculitis, including those in the US.

X Factor’s 2010 runner up Nicholas McDonald and Glasgow Academy Musical and Theatre Arts (GAMTA) will also be performing. The Black & Red Ball will include a spectacular auction with lots including a three-day luxury superyacht charter, a guitar signed by Texas, a boot signed by Zlatan Ibrahimovic and a Coca-Cola mountain bike.

Tickets for the ball are priced at £65 for a single ticket, £650 for a table of ten and £780 for a table of twelve. Included with the ticket or table booking is a drinks reception, three course meal, wine, entertainment and entry into a raffle.

The Black & Red Ball has been held annually in Glasgow since 2011 and has helped to contribute to the overall fundraising of £500,000 for the charity. The Lauren Currie Twilight Foundation has produced a video explaining the condition, which can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W94a0KLa1vQ.

Charity patron Dr Hilary Jones can be seen talking about the Foundation’s work here: http://www.thelaurencurrietwilightfoundation.org/patrons.htm...

Links
Five Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/5iveofficial/
Five Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/Official5ive
The Lauren Currie Twilight Foundation: http://www.thelaurencurrietwilightfoundation.org/
Lauren Currie Twilight Foundation Twitter: https://twitter.com/LCTFoundation
Glasgow Radisson Blu Hotel: http://bit.ly/288MNrD
Ritchie Neville: https://twitter.com/ritchieneville
Scott Robinson: https://twitter.com/scottlarock5
Sean Conlon: https://twitter.com/SeanConlonMusic
Shayne Ward: http://shaynewardofficial.com/
University of Aberdeen: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/
Nicholas McDonald: http://nicholasmcdonald.co.uk/
GAMTA: http://www.gamta.org.uk/home/

ENDS

Images of previous fundraising events are available on request.

Media information provided by Famous Publicity. For more information please contact Adam Betteridge at 0333 344 2341 or adam@famouspublicity.com, or Tina Fotherby at 07703 409 622 or tina@famouspublicity.com.

What is the background to The Lauren Currie Twilight Foundation?

Lauren was only 15 when she tragically and prematurely lost her battle with vasculitis five years ago on October 23 2010 at Crosshouse Hospital. Lauren died from Wegener’s Granulomatosis – a form of vasculitis which had remained undiagnosed until the final hours of her life. Lauren’s lungs had been fatally damaged by vasculitis, which resulted in internal bleeding and contributed to her death.

The charity was founded within a couple of days of Lauren’s death by her parents, Grant and Adrienne. The charity was named in Lauren’s memory as a tribute to their daughter’s inspirational character and features ‘Twilight’ in the title in recognition of the love she had for the Twilight books and the films. The charity was set up to help and support anyone affected by vasculitis, to raise awareness of the disease throughout the United Kingdom and to fund dedicated research that seeks to identify and improve treatments.

Lauren’s charity was formerly registered in Scotland in December 2010 with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR). Charity Registration Number SC041934.