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Kenneth Branagh will celebrate his 50th birthday on 10 December 2010 and the Ken-Friends are doing something special for him. If you'd like to help us wish Ken the very best on that day, contact Jude Tessel at tesseljy@yahoo.com for details on how you can participate.
Click here for The Ken-Friends Birthday Projects 1997-2008
Birthday Fundraising Project 2009
In 2009 the Ken-Friends returned to the always popular t-shirt for their annual fundraising project, this time to celebrate Kenneth Branagh's 49th birthday. In tried and true democratic fashion, the Ken-Friends used their mailing list to propose designs and quotations for the shirt, which was offered in a number of colours and more than one style. The selected quote came from Ivanov and the Ken-Friends crest graced the front. This year's project raised $4,500 US for the William and Frances Branagh Memorial Bursary fund for students from Northern Ireland at Royal Aacademy of Dramatic Art (RADA).
Here is Kenneth Branagh's thank-you note:
"Calling all Ken-Friends - THANK YOU!
How, at a time of painful recession for so many, this vast sum could be raised on my behalf, beggars belief.
Except of course that the Ken Friends have proved themselves over many, many years to be the most loyal, industrious, indefatigable group of enthusiasts, any artist could ever hope to encounter.
It makes me very proud to know that your hard work makes such a difference for students at RADA - my Alma Mater is very lucky to know you - as am I.
I wish you all a healthy and happy 2010, and I shall be thinking of you all as I start hurling hammers in January.
Once again, all those raffles and auctions and every other piece of magic you have worked this year are astounding and deeply appreciated. I congratulate you all, and simply say ad infinitum, THANK YOU MY FRIENDS!
From someone humbled by your support, and exceptionally proud to be a friend of YOURS, Ken Branagh"
Since 1998 the Ken-Friends have have donated a grand total of $56,850 to Kenneth
Branagh's charities/organizations. Not a bad accomplishment for our small "band of brothers".
The Ken-Friends Birthday Projects 1997-2006
In 1997 the Ken-Friends mailing list sent Kenneth Branagh an album made up of postcards members had sent from their locations all over the world. This was the genesis for an expanded project the following year which saw the production of a Ken-Friends t-shirt and an associated fundraising effort. The money raised was donated to the Ulster Association of Youth Drama, an an organisation Kenneth has supported over a number of years, and the project coordinator, Jude Tessel, had the privilege of giving Kenneth his present in person. Read all about it and see the photos.
In 1999 a new t-shirt, commemorating the 10th anniversary of the release of Henry V, was designed and produced. Get details and read Kenneth's thank-you here.
In 2000 a pin, conceived in part to allow Ken-Friends who had never physically met to recognise each other (an alternative to "I'll be standing in front of the main doors holding a copy of Beginning"), was designed and produced. Get details and read Kenneth's thank-you here. The total donated to UAYD to date is US $17,849 and the donation to RADA to date is US$2,518, making a grand total of US $20,367 since 1998.
In 2001 the Ken-Friends designed and produced a keychain ("t'is in my memory locked") which, along with a series of auctions of Branagh-related items held within the Ken-Friends .mailing list. helped to raise funds for our chosen charity. The amount raised this year was US $4,601, which constituted a donation to UAYD of £3,197.77. Get details and read Kenneth's thank-you here.
In 2002 Kenneth Branagh's long-awaited return to the stage and the good times of the Ken-Friends Big Day Out in Sheffield in March 2002 were captured in the mug produced for the birthday fundraiser. Through this and other fundraising events a total of US $7,701 was raised and donated to UAYD, RADA and the Over the Wall Gang. Read details here.
In 2003 the Ken-Friends combined their annual birthday fundraising effort with a nod to The Play What I Wrote, with a handsome themed t-shirt. The generosity of participants allowed the Ken-Friends to send $3,520 US or £2,086 GBP to Ulster Association of Youth Drama for the 2004 Ken-Friends bursaries. Get details, see the shirt and read Kenneth's thank-you here.
In 2004 the fifteenth anniversary of the release of Kenneth Branagh's stunning film Henry V was celebrated by the Ken-Friends in their annual birthday fundraising effort with a commemorative mug. The generosity of participants allowed the Ken-Friends to send $4,602 US or £2,480 GBP to Ulster Association of Youth Drama for the 2005 Ken-Friends bursaries. See the mug, get details and read Kenneth's thank-you here.
In 2005 the Ken-Friends marked the tenth anniversary of the release of the delightful Kenneth Branagh film In the Bleak Midwinter/A Midwinter's Tale by producing a "Midwinter" ornament for their annual birthday fundraising effort. The generosity of participants allowed the Ken-Friends to send $3,209 US or £1,826 GBP to the Ulster Association of Youth Drama for the 2006 Ken-Friends bursaries. See the ornament, get details and read Kenneth's thank-you here.
In 2006 the Ken-Friends fundraising activity paid hommage to the 10th anniversary of the release of Kenneth Branagh's film Hamlet. The design and production of a bookmark allowed us to send $3,275 US to Project Shakespeare, to take a group of Catholic and Protestant children from Northern Ireland to Stratford. See the bookmark, get details and read Kenneth's thank-you here.
In 2007 the Ken-Friends fundraising activity marked the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Renaissance Theatre Company. The design and production of a tote bag allowed us to send $3,200 US to Project Shakespeare for their annual student activities. See the tote bag, get details and read Kenneth's thank-you here.
In 2008 the Ken-Friends marked Kenneth Branagh's 48th birthday with a bound collection of their favourite poems and a donation to the William and Frances Branagh Memorial Bursary fund for students from Northern Ireland Get details and read Kenneth's thank-you here.
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