CHOCOLAT author Joanne Harris has called for the publishing industry to spotlight Ukrainian authors and translators as it mobilises to support refugees. “We’re having lots of conversations about what we can do,” Harris, who was recently re-elected to the position of chair at the Society of Authors, told us.
“No decision is going to be good for everybody… we can amplify Ukrainian voices, Ukrainian creators and translators. These things are not particularly concrete… but I do think they make a difference.”
Her comments come as the publishing industry mobilises to support Ukraine. Alongside under-the-radar donations from large publishers, independent publishers Little Toller Books and Bluemoose Books have launched a campaign to fund the distribution of 10,000 rucksacks to support fleeing children. Literary agent Hayley Steed has also launched an online book auction, Book Aid for Ukraine, which offers people the chance to bid on signed books, lunches with authors and artwork to raise money for British Ukrainian Aid. It has already raised more than £40,000 in relief funds.
“People that are usually my rivals [have been] coming to me and really wanting to help which has been really amazing,” she says. “I know lots of publishers are donating money directly… there are a lot of people who are doing things behind the scenes.”
Whiff of Henry’s horrible history
PERFUMIER Azzi Glasser revealed she is working on a secret scent with actor Jude Law. A fragrant Azzi, who was celebrating Piers Adam’s birthday at the Walmer Castle in Notting Hill, told us she makes scents for actors who want to immerse themselves in a character because scent “works with your emotions”. They met this month to create the scent for Law’s film Firebrand, in which he plays Henry VIII. “Scent is a powerful tool,” she said. As Henry executed about 57,000 people, including two of his six wives, we imagine it might smell rather gory…
Joe cooks up his dream dinner party
JOE WICKS confessed that he was a “terrible cook” at the launch of his latest cookbook Feel Good Food last night. “I’m good at making simple food,” the nation’s lockdown PE coach told us. However, that hasn’t put him off making plans for his dream dinner party: “I’d love to meet the Rock, because I think he’s awesome. I’d invite the Queen… and I’d probably have my nan there as well,” he told us. The next hot ticket.
Fiennes’s piglet prank is a scream
SIR Ranulph Fiennes’s wild youth involved letting a greased piglet loose during a Sandhurst military academy ball. “We thought we’d get there at night… and put the piglet through the window when they were all dancing,” he told Lorraine Kelly’s What If? podcast. “The screaming that went on!” Fortunately, the story has a happy ending. “Someone inside there must have caught the piglet and thrown it back through the window, so we got it again,” he confessed. “We put the piglet back with its mum and never met the farmer… it was a successful raid.” A true bandit.
Elegant Olly shows the art of menswear
THE V&A held a private viewing last night of its show Fashioning Masculinities: The Art Of Menswear. Holding court were singers Olly Alexander and Sam Smith, rebel rapper Kam-Bu and Daniel Lismore. Across town, Piers Adam celebrated his birthday at his new Notting Hill bar the Walmer Castle with Jason Donovan and perfumier Azzi Glasser, with guests Ben Goldsmith and Jemima Khan enjoying the Copper Dog cocktails.
SW1A
DAME Margaret Hodge MP is all for housing Ukrainian refugees in repossessed houses, but has a confession to make about activists’ invasion of a Kensington mansion. “I suggested it on Woman’s Hour last week,” she tells us. “Then I suddenly thought, oh my god… they’ve taken it up. Well, fine if they want to do it.” The power of radio.
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LABOUR MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy celebrated her win at the MP of the Year Awards by… working. “I just went to another meeting,” she explains. “But my team are fantastic, so I’ll be really pleased to celebrate with them.” Will she open a bottle of Champagne or prosecco to celebrate, we asked? “Prosecco,” she joked. “The socialists’ choice.”
