Over 40 stars of stage, screen, music, literature, sport and the art world have been getting creative in support of a Huddersfield firm’s charity envelope auction – Get smART!

Contributors have all designed an envelope, and the envelopes will go under the online hammer this month with every pound going to the MND Association helping people living with motor neurone disease.

The association is a cause close to the hearts of everyone at Clayton West-based print and digital communications firm Adare SEC after a much-loved and respected colleague died from MND earlier this year.

MND affects around 5,000 people in the UK at any one time. There is currently no effective treatment and no cure.

The Get smART! auction has attracted some truly stellar names – from sporting greats such as Bukayo Saka and Jurgen Klopp, comedians Stephen Fry and Jack Dee, to household names such as Twiggy, Alan Titchmarsh and Charlie Higson.

There are also several hugely collectable original works from renowned artists amongst the lots being offered – including two drawings from the Oscar-winning creator of Wallace & Gromit Nick Park.

The auction runs online until Sunday October 20. The auction gallery can be found at www.astarauction.com/GetSmartAuction/home_page.

Anyone can register and make a bid, with bidders alerted by text or email when their initial bid amount has been exceeded.

 

Tony Strong, CEO at Adare SEC, said: “We’re blown away by the calibre of people that have contributed to the event and hugely excited to see the bids start rolling in.

“Using the envelope as our canvas is obviously a nod to our communication management heritage – as well as being a fun item to draw on and bid on! Every single pound raised will make a difference.”

The MND Association’s corporate partnerships development manager, Richard Parris, said: “We’re so grateful to everyone at Adare SEC for choosing to support the association in memory of their colleague and friend.

“Get smART! is such a fantastic idea and the support they have already had from so many household names is just incredible.

“The auction will make a huge difference to the work we are doing to support people living with MND and their families, while funding world-class research into potential new treatments for this devasting disease.

“We wish everyone the very best of luck for what promises to be a very exciting event!”