More than 20 British celebrities, including Gary Lineker, Brian Cox, Nicola Coughlan, Paloma Faith, and Charlotte Church, have donated personal memorabilia for an online auction to raise funds for Palestinian students to study in the UK. The Scholarships for Gaza auction, organized by the charity Phoenix Space, runs for 10 days from Monday July 27.
Auction details and items
The Rest is Football host Lineker donated a signed Nagoya Grampus Eight football shirt from his time in Japan, with bidding starting at £65. Scottish actor Brian Cox, known for Succession and Braveheart, offered a collection including a signed photograph, a signed copy of his memoir, and original flyers from his stage productions. Singer Charlotte Church donated a one-night stay at her wellness retreat, The Dreaming, with bidding starting at £155.
Derry Girls stars Nicola Coughlan and Siobhan McSweeney contributed a signed personal photo from backstage while filming the show. Songwriter Paloma Faith auctioned a signed copy of her book about motherhood. Actress Amanda Abbington offered a Mr Selfridge script.
Context and need
The UK government announced last month it would continue helping Palestinian students leave Gaza if they have a place at a top UK university, but they must have full scholarships or be able to fund tuition themselves. During the last academic year, more than 100 students were evacuated from Gaza to study in the UK. Hundreds of exceptional young people in Gaza have been offered courses at British universities but lack funding.
Mohammed Hasanain, 22, was offered a Master's in business and management at the University of Glasgow but still needs funding. His 20-year-old brother Mahmoud was evacuated from Gaza last year to study in the UK, and they hope to be reunited in 2026. Mohammed said: "Unfortunately, my days aren’t spent in a lecture hall as [they are] supposed to. And instead, they are spent worrying about surviving and if we will make it to the next day."
Quotes from donors
Siobhan McSweeney, who played Sister Michael in Derry Girls, said of the donated photo: "We were doing some school scenes and were messing around in the green room, which was an actual classroom. I want to put it up for auction for this cause because I think it’s a good reminder of what I loved about school - messing around, acting the eejit." She added: "Schools, colleges, and universities aren’t just about education. They’re about gaining and creating community... I hope whoever bids on this understands that this photo is of two ejits who never grew up and have carried the best part of their school days with them. The ability to create."
Paloma Faith said: "I'm donating a signed copy of my book about motherhood in recognition of the Palestinian mothers in Gaza who have watched their children suffer unimaginable hardship. Together, let's offer them what all parents want for their kids: safety and a quality education that allows them to flourish."
Damage to Gaza's education infrastructure
Gaza's infrastructure has been largely decimated by Israel's years-long bombing campaign, including higher education. In November, a UNESCO investigation revealed 95% of all Gazan higher education campuses had either been completely destroyed or damaged. Of a little over 200 campus buildings analysed, 195 were found to be either destroyed or incapable of hosting students. At the same time, 22% of the entire higher education workforce had either been killed, captured, or injured. UNESCO said the actual figures were likely higher due to lack of information, and estimated it would cost about £280 million ($373 million) to repair the damage to all of Gaza's higher education settings.
UNESCO added: "Rebuilding higher education in Gaza is not just about restoring institutions. It is the key to restoring hope, opportunity, and future prosperity for an entire generation."
The auction runs from Monday July 27.
