Celebs ’Push the Envelope’ for National Literacy Trust

A host of stars from sport, the art world, television, film and music are helping to raise thousands of pounds for the National Literacy Trust by customising envelopes to create unique works of art for the public to buy.



On 2 November 2009, a host of celebrity-designed envelopes will be auctioned on eBay as part of the sixth annual Pitney Bowes ‘Pushing the Envelope’ charity campaign.



Famous names providing their support this year include Olympians Colin Jackson and Keri-anne Payne, actor Sir Ian McKellen, fashion designer Zandra Rhodes, illustrator Quentin Blake, as well as authors Mark Haddon and John Le Carre. In previous years the campaign has secured support from artists such as Grayson Perry, Damien Hirst and John Knapp-Fisher, and a range of Turner Prize winners and nominees are expected to sign up for the 2009 auction.



All entries this year are based on the theme ‘The Words That Mean Most To You’ giving extra insight into the creative minds of the celebrity supporters; Sir Ian McKellen provides a Shakespeare-inspired design, artist Mimi Leung’s colourful designs encourage us not to take life too seriously and Colin Jackson’s ‘sunshine’ asks us to always look on the bright side of life.



Interested bidders can view a selection of the envelopes at the campaign’s website www.pushingtheenvelope.info.



Current support for the 2009 campaign includes:



- Andrew Logan, former Irish footballer

- Andrew Motion, former Poet Laureate

- Andrew Marr, journalist and political commentator

- Carol Smillie, Scottish TV presenter

- Colin Jackson, Olympic hurdler

- Derek Jacobi, award winning English actor & director

- Dr Maya Angelou, American autobiographer and poet

- Jeremy Stong, children’s author

- Joanne Harris, author

- John Le Carre, English author of espionage novels

- Josh Lewsey, rugby union player who played in the World Cup winning squad

- Julie Etchingham, News at Ten presenter

- Ken Follett, author

- Keri-anne Payne, British Olympic swimmer

- Laura Hambleton, published author and an illustrator of children's books

- Liza Tarbuck, actress and television presenter

- Mark Haddon, author

- Mimi Leung, artist

- Quentin Blake, illustrator

- Richard Randall, interior designer

- Robert Goddard, novelist

- Rosie Marcel, English actress best known for her role in Holby City

- Sir Ian McKellen, actor

- Theo Foley, former footballer

- Richard Long, English sculptor, photographer and painter

- Zandra Rhodes, fashion designer