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Click here for The Ken-Friends Birthday Projects 1997-2020
Birthday Fundraising Project 2021
In 2021 the Ken-Friends celebrated Kenneth Branagh's 61st birthday with a donation of $4,500 US, raised to support students from Northern Ireland under The William & Frances Branagh Memorial Award at the Royal Aacademy of Dramatic Art (RADA). An additional amount of $275 US will go to the Progress Theatre for two seats honouring Ken and his parents.
The sum collected came from the proceeds of a series of online auctions on the Ken-Friends mailing list offering items related to Kenneth Branagh's artistic production over the many years of his career and from additional donations by Ken-Friends.
Here is Kenneth Branagh's thank-you
"Dear Friends,
As this New Year begins, I wanted to wish for you all - for US all - a healthier and happier time than many have experienced in these last two.
Despite the challenges, the Ken Friends once again turned up trumps with the phenomenal Birthday contribution to, not only, the RADA bursary, but also my much cherished Progress Theatre.
It is not only humbling to see your incredible generosity at play once more, but also to feel the additional connection that you may now be able to see (or perhaps simply feel), between a sense of my parents as they were (In the film Belfast), and the beautiful way you have memorialised them.
You will understand clearly now, how astonished they would be by the film, and particularly by your Bursary, and how very, very grateful they would be for the latter.
(They might want a quiet word with me, however, about the former!).
With the kind encouragement of so many of you in your reactions to Belfast, I am back at my writing desk this year and hope to surprise you with some more self-penned efforts before too long.
Meantime, our friends from beyond US shores will see Belfast from Jan 21st (or thereabouts), and the world will see Death On The Nile from Feb 11th.
I hope you enjoy the work.
It comes to you with the profound gratitude, of one who knows himself to be blessed in so many ways in his life, but most especially, in his friends.
With love to you and yours,
Thank you again,
Your friend,
Ken"
Since 1997 the Ken-Friends have have donated a grand total of $110,328 of which $66,626 has gone to RADA, with $63,077 added to the William and Frances Branagh Bursary Fund.
The Ken-Friends Birthday Projects 1997-2020
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 in 1998 which saw the production of a Ken-Friends t-shirt and an associated fundraising effort. The money raised - $2,869 - was donated to the Ulster Association of Youth Drama, 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, culminating in a donation of $4,554 US. 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 and a donation of $7,920 US was raised. Get details and read Kenneth's thank-you here.
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 $5,303 US 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 $7,701 US 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 $3,530 US 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 $4,626 US 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 $3,220 US 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 $4,977 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 of $4,500 to the William and Frances Branagh Memorial Bursary fund for students from Northern Ireland. Get details and read Kenneth's thank-you here.
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, raising a total of $4,728. See the t-shirt, get details and read Kenneth's thank-you here.
In 2010 the Ken-Friends decided to celebrate Kenneth Branagh's 50th birthday with a donation of $5,293 US to the William and Frances Branagh Memorial Bursary fund for students from Northern Ireland, and also with a special donation of $728 US to name a seat in the newly refurbished Lyric Theatre in Belfast in Kenneth's honour. Get details and read Kenneth's thank-you here.
In 2011 Kenneth Branagh's 51st birthday was marked by the Ken-Friends with a donation of $4,051 US for students from Northern Ireland through the William and Frances Branagh Memorial Bursary fund at the Royal Aacademy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Get details and learn about Kenneth's thank-you here.
In 2012 the Ken-Friends celebrated Kenneth Branagh's 52nd birthday with a donation of $5,806 US to the William and Frances Branagh Memorial Bursary fund at the Royal Aacademy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Get details and learn about Kenneth's thank-you here.
In 2013 Kenneth Branagh's 53rd birthday was marked by the Ken-Friends with a sum of $5,000 US donated to the William and Frances Branagh Memorial Bursary fund at the Royal Aacademy of Dramatic Art (RADA).
In 2014 the Ken-Friends honoured Kenneth Branagh's 54th birthday with a donation of $5,400 US to the the William and Frances Branagh Memorial Bursary fund destined for students from Northern Ireland studying at the Royal Aacademy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Get details and read Kenneth's thank-you here.
In 2015 the Ken-Friends celebrated Kenneth Branagh's 55th birthday with a donation of $3,200 US, raised to support students from Northern Ireland under The William & Frances Branagh Memorial Award at the Royal Aacademy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Get details and read Kenneth's thank-you here.
In 2016 Kenneth Branagh's 56th birthday was marked by the Ken-Friends with a sum of $4,000 US donated to the William and Frances Branagh Memorial Bursary fund at the Royal Aacademy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Get details and read Kenneth's thank-you here.
In 2017 Kenneth Branagh's 57th birthday was marked by the Ken-Friends with a sum of $4,000 US donated to the William and Frances Branagh Memorial Bursary fund at the Royal Aacademy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Get details and read Kenneth's thank-you here.
In 2018 Kenneth Branagh's 58th birthday was marked by the Ken-Friends with a sum of $3,500 US donated to the William and Frances Branagh Memorial Bursary fund at the Royal Aacademy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Get details and read Kenneth's thank-you here.
In 2019 the Ken-Friends celebrated Kenneth Branagh's 59th birthday with a donation of $3,700 US, raised to support students from Northern Ireland under The William & Frances Branagh Memorial Award at the Royal Aacademy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Get details and read Kenneth's thank-you here.
In 2020 the Ken-Friends celebrated Kenneth Branagh's 60th birthday with a donation of $4,400 US, raised to support students from Northern Ireland under The William & Frances Branagh Memorial Award at the Royal Aacademy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Get details and read Kenneth's thank-you here.
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