Biggest stars in British music come together to raise funds for Haiti

Damon Albarn, Coldplay, Arctic Monkeys and many more in exclusive fundraising auction with Oxfam

Some of the biggest names in music, including Damon Albarn, Coldplay and Arctic Monkeys, have come together to put on a special auction to raise funds for Oxfam’s emergency response in Haiti.

Amongst the exclusives items in the auction is an offer from Damon Albarn to record a specially written piece of music, the iconic blonde Fender Stratocaster played by Arctic Monkeys’ Alex Turner in their first video and Coldplay singer Chris Martin’s ‘Viva La Vida’ tour jacket, signed by the band. The auction is a rapid response from the biggest bands in the UK and beyond to the massive crisis in Haiti and Oxfam’s ongoing emergency response there.

The auction goes live on eBay on Friday 22 January and runs for ten days, closing at 9am GMT on Tuesday 2 February. All proceeds from the auction will go to Oxfam’s humanitarian response in Haiti. More items will be added to the auction over the coming week, including items from the fashion and art world.

The full auction can be seen at www.oxfam.org.uk/haitiauction, but highlights include:

• A recording of a bespoke piece of music written by Damon Albarn.
• The Fender Stratocaster played by Alex Turner in the Arctic Monkeys’ ‘I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor’ video.
• Chris Martin’s ‘Viva La Vida’ tour jacket, signed by all four members of Coldplay.
• A rare Roland drum machine donated by the Chemical Brothers.
• A linocut of ‘Fleet Street Apocalypse’ by Radiohead artist Stanley Donwood.
• An exclusive playback of the brand new Gang of Four album for four people over a bottle or two of wine with Andy Gill in their studio in London, before anyone else hears it.
• Pet Shop Boys’ ‘Yes’ bespoke boxed vinyl set. Only 300 were made by the Vinyl Factory. Designed with Farrow in close collaboration with the pop art duo. Voted No.1 21st Century Collectible Product in Record Collector Annual Roundup.
• One of Annie Lennox’s favorite paintings, an original canvas from South Africa. 
• Signed Pearl Jam single artwork.

Chris Martin, who traveled to Haiti with Oxfam in 2002 to meet coffee farmers supported by the charity, said:

“I visited Haiti with Oxfam a few years ago. It's a country of extreme poverty and brutal living conditions. Most people in Port-au-Prince live in tin shacks. The earthquake that has struck Haiti will have turned the city into an unimaginable hell.

“The people of Haiti will be desperate for help and assistance. You can make a donation at oxfam.org/haitidonate”

Read more

Haiti: Donate now

Earthquake in Haiti: Oxfam's response and latest audio updates

Read the diary of Helen Hawkings, Oxfam's health expert in Haiti