FEATURE:
Kate Bush: The World’s Greatest Shop Assistant
IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush cuts her 30th birthday cake on 30th July, 1988 at Blazers Boutique, where she was raising money for AIDS victims on behalf of the Terrence Higgins Trust (celebrities appeared in shops at Covent Garden, London as shop assistants to sell T-shirts and raffles. The money generated from this, plus 5% of the shops' takings, were donated to the charity)/PHOTO CREDIT: Trinity Mirror/Mirrorpix/Alamy Stock Photo
A Charitable Thirtieth Birthday with the Terrence Higgins Trust
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I sort of joked…
recently that I would publish a trilogy of Kate Bush/charity-related articles - as she has been involved with a number of charities through her career. Although I have done a general feature on Kate Bush’s charity involvement before, I have been looking more closely at the years 1986-1988 and ways in which Bush was engaging with charity. I am not sure why this period was especially prolific in terms of her activity. Perhaps, between the release of Hounds of Love (1985) and The Sensual World (1989), she wanted to donate more of her time to worthy causes. The AIDS crisis of the 1980s was something that severely impacted the world. Not to make light but, on 30th July, 1988, Kate Bush became a shop assistant to help raise funds for the Terrence Higgins Trust. A brilliant charity still going today, I can only imagine how affected musicians were seeing the HIV/AIDS epidemic impact so many. Queen frontman Freddie Mercury was one high-profile musician who was affected – he died on 24th November, 1991 of bronchopneumonia (as a complication of AIDS). I shall keep this one brief. One of the most interesting and noble charity causes Kate Bush was involved in happened on her thirtieth birthday! The Kate Bush Encyclopaedia explains a bit more:
“Kate participated in a charity event July 30, 1988 called 'Shop Assistance' to benefit the Terrence Higgins trust to help people with HIV/AIDS. She helped out in a men's wear shop called Blazers in Covent Garden in London (UK), selling clothes and also signing autographs for fans. Other artists participating were Jeremy Irons, Boy George, Jayne Seymour, Jimi Sommerville, Lloyd Cole, Mandy Smith and Rick Astley”.
Although Bush has auctioned signed goods and done other charity things since 1988, it is fascinating that she gave so much time on an important day for her! Of course, she would have had time to mark her thirtieth birthday later that day. That said, she gave a lot of 30th July, 1988 to raise money for charity. That speaks volumes about her priorities! I do love that she was so selfless! She did get to cut some birthday cake whilst there, in addition to meeting a lot of her fans. Sometimes, you see artists called into charity things and they look quite awkward and out of place! Bush looked perfectly comfortable and happy being there. Whilst I love her because of the music, I have spent a few features zeroing in on a few very generous occasions when she put charity and others before herself. I can only imagine how exciting the Shop Assistance event must have been! Whilst it was launched to help people with HIV/AIDS – and raise money for the Terrence Higgins Trust -, the media were keen t get down to Covent Garden and report the news. Rather than it being an opportunity for musicians to raise their profile, it was them getting involved with a charity they wanted to help. As I said, the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s was incredibly serious. Not many of us would spend a day as important as a thirtieth birthday helping others and not celebrating. It doesn’t surprise me that Kate Bush eschewed the festivities to meet fans and raise awareness for a very serious and worthy cause. Her incredible charitable nature is a facet that burns bright and remains strong…
IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in a still from the T.V. show, Rough Guide To London (The programme had a short report about the Shop Assistance charity event)
)TO this very day.