By Bank of England …..
Following the launch of the new £10 note in September, various Jane Austen notes with low or special serial numbers were auctioned for charity on 6 October. The auction, held at Spink, also included a selection of old series notes which are no longer legal tender.
The auction raised £269,338 [Approximately $355,526.16 USD at the time of publication. —CoinWeek] for three charities – Candlelighters, Haven House Children’s Hospice and Macmillan Cancer Support. A total of 141 lots were auctioned and the highest bid for a single note was £7,200 – the Jane Austen £10 with serial number AA01 000010. The highest bid in the auction was £13,500 for a full uncut sheet of 54 £10 notes.
Victoria Cleland, Chief Cashier, said: “I am delighted that the charity auction of Jane Austen £10 notes raised £270,000 for three fantastic charities. The buzz in the room suggested that cash was far from dead, and I certainly enjoyed my time as auctioneer!”
The Bank of England fosters an inclusive culture where everyone can contribute to the public good. As part of this we encourage colleagues to support the community and charitable causes that they care about. Candlelighters was nominated by a member of Notes Directorate staff and Haven House Children’s Hospice and Macmillan Cancer Support are the Bank’s 2016/17 charities.
Candlelighters supports children with cancer and their families throughout Yorkshire by funding additional, specialist staff in Leeds Children’s Hospital, a Family Support Centre and a bus that takes essential services to those who need them. The charity provides financial assistance and offers holidays, as well as support groups, for every member of the family with the intention of making life a little easier for ordinary families facing life changing situations.
Brian Curran, Candlelighters Corporate Fundraiser said:
“The auction was truly a unique experience; exciting, breathtaking and astonishing all at the same time. As a small charity, being supported by the Bank of England through the £10 note charity auction is something we would usually only dream of. We are truly grateful for being nominated by someone whose family we supported some years ago. It was a huge privilege to attend this very special history-making event and to see so much money raised. Thank you.”
Since 2003 Haven House Children’s Hospice has provided palliative and holistic care for 900 families with children who have life-limiting and life-threatening conditions. Across North and North East London, West Essex and East Hertfordshire the charity offers planned respite, short break and end-of-life care, as well as a range of services to families designed to improve emotional and physical wellbeing and to support them through the most difficult circumstances imaginable. All of the charity’s services are free of charge to the families they support.
Pushpinder Gill, Director of Income Generation & Marketing, said:
“We are absolutely delighted to benefit from the amazing amount raised at the recent Bank of England charity auction of the new £10 note. It was a wonderful experience to witness the energy and excitement in the room and even more so, see the final amount raised which will make a huge difference to support and care for more families and children with life-limiting conditions. On behalf of everyone at Haven House thank you so much.”
Macmillan Cancer Support helps people living with cancer from the moment of diagnosis through treatment and beyond, to help them feel more like themselves. With over two million people living with cancer in the UK today, a figure that is set to rise to four million in 2030, the demand for Macmillan professionals has never been higher. From help with money worries and advice about work, to someone who’ll listen whenever it is needed, Macmillan makes sure that a life with cancer is still life.
Jade McShane, Macmillan Corporate Account Manager, said:
“We cannot thank the Bank of England enough for this opportunity. It was an incredible, unique and interesting experience to watch the auction and of course the phenomenal amount raised is going to have a huge impact on the work Macmillan does supporting people living with cancer.”
