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Camden News - by CHARLOTTE CHAMBERS
Published: 12 June 2008

George Michael. Picture courtesy of J Fraser

Generous George proves he’s ray of sunshine!

FUN and laughter, there’s enough for everyone... at the annual Highgate Festival this year thanks to special donation from former Wham! superstar George Michael.
The singer has boosted preparations for the street party in Pond Square on Saturday June 21 by handing over thousands of pounds to organisers. It is always one of the stand-out dates in the summer season of festivals and fetes.
George, who lives nearby, joins the Camden New Journal as one of the festival’s sponsors.
Co-organiser Christina Nolan, explaining how the former Wham! hit-maker was persuaded on board, said: “We asked – he’s a very generous man. There was a mutual friend who intervened for us and he said he didn’t mind helping.”
George – reportedly the most played artist on British radio – is well known to support a whole host of good causes. Four years ago, he said he had earned enough money and that in future he would release his music for free on the condition that fans endeavoured to make donations to charity instead.
Ms Nolan revealed his donation didn’t come as a shock to a community familiar with his deep pockets.
“This is the first time he’s sponsored the festival but once we were able to tell people he’d helped, I kept hearing from other groups that he’d been very generous to them,” she said.
She cautiously described this year’s festival line-up as “slightly new and different,” before adding, somewhat ironically: “I hesitate to say bigger for fear of frightening the neighbours.”
But another organiser doesn’t share those concerns. Jane Hamilton said: “George Michael’s donation has allowed the festival to be the biggest and best yet and is a wonderfully generous gesture from one of Highgate’s most famous residents.
“Everyone involved in the festival is very grateful to him and his generosity will make the day extra special for everyone in Highgate.”
Apart from the usual arts and crafts stalls and musicians on the big stage, some of the newer attractions this year will include a “kids corner”, a steel band, belly dancer and budding poets.

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