The Actor’s Church in Covent Garden played host to the first ever live West End Woofs charity event over the weekend, with West End stars from popular shows turning out to support animal shelters.
Hosted by West End icon Elaine Paige and Broadway star Bernadette Peters, the event aimed to raise vital funds for animal shelters across the U.K.
West End legend Elaine Paige and Broadway icon Bernadette Peters hosted the charity event
The event is a U.K. spin-off of “Broadway Barks”, which Peters co-founded in 1998 with actress Mary Tyler Moore.
Peters opened the show by performing the titular track from “Old Friends” with her castmates from the Sondheim musical, alongside parading pooches.
The casts of Les Misérables, Hamilton, and the Phantom of the Opera also took the stage.
The stars introduced the dogs to the sell-out crowd. They gave details on each dog’s temperament, health status, and their ideal forever home.
Stars of London’s West End showcased the adoptable pooches
Organisers also gave attendees the chance to meet the stars and the pooches close up in a meet-and-greet in the grounds of the church.
Although the dogs could not be adopted on the day, the representatives of the shelters were on hand to give details on how the dogs showcased could be adopted.
Attendees cosied up to the adoptable dogs at a meet-and-greet
Animal shelters facing hard times
The seven participating animal shelters will receive all the money raised from ticket sales and donations
One such shelter is north London based charity All Dogs Matter.
Speaking to City News, co-founder Ira Moss said that the pandemic has caused overcrowding in their shelter. Many people adopted dogs to better cope with loneliness during lockdowns. As soon as the lockdowns ended many owners abandoned their adopted dogs.
Moss said, “We’ve probably seen a fifty percent increase in dogs coming in. Most of the charities in London are pretty full, everyone is running at full capacity and there are only so many kennels you can have”.
Is there a future for West End Woofs?
Speaking to City News, Elaine Paige said that now they have established it, they’ll definitely be back next year. She also said she might even get “a trip over to Broadway to do it there as well”.
Co-host Elaine Paige O.B.E. said she would be back for more fun next year
If you would like more information on the event and the animal shelters involved, you can visit their website here.
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HeadlineDogs perform with West End stars in bid to protect animal shelters
Short HeadlineStars of the theatre perform songs to support animal shelters
StandfirstFor one day only, the cream of the West End came together for a charity event to promote the adoption of shelter animals
The Actor’s Church in Covent Garden played host to the first ever live West End Woofs charity event over the weekend, with West End stars from popular shows turning out to support animal shelters.
Hosted by West End icon Elaine Paige and Broadway star Bernadette Peters, the event aimed to raise vital funds for animal shelters across the U.K.
West End legend Elaine Paige and Broadway icon Bernadette Peters hosted the charity event
The event is a U.K. spin-off of “Broadway Barks”, which Peters co-founded in 1998 with actress Mary Tyler Moore.
Peters opened the show by performing the titular track from “Old Friends” with her castmates from the Sondheim musical, alongside parading pooches.
The casts of Les Misérables, Hamilton, and the Phantom of the Opera also took the stage.
The stars introduced the dogs to the sell-out crowd. They gave details on each dog’s temperament, health status, and their ideal forever home.
Stars of London’s West End showcased the adoptable pooches
Organisers also gave attendees the chance to meet the stars and the pooches close up in a meet-and-greet in the grounds of the church.
Although the dogs could not be adopted on the day, the representatives of the shelters were on hand to give details on how the dogs showcased could be adopted.
Attendees cosied up to the adoptable dogs at a meet-and-greet
Animal shelters facing hard times
The seven participating animal shelters will receive all the money raised from ticket sales and donations
One such shelter is north London based charity All Dogs Matter.
Speaking to City News, co-founder Ira Moss said that the pandemic has caused overcrowding in their shelter. Many people adopted dogs to better cope with loneliness during lockdowns. As soon as the lockdowns ended many owners abandoned their adopted dogs.
Moss said, “We’ve probably seen a fifty percent increase in dogs coming in. Most of the charities in London are pretty full, everyone is running at full capacity and there are only so many kennels you can have”.
Is there a future for West End Woofs?
Speaking to City News, Elaine Paige said that now they have established it, they’ll definitely be back next year. She also said she might even get “a trip over to Broadway to do it there as well”.
Co-host Elaine Paige O.B.E. said she would be back for more fun next year
If you would like more information on the event and the animal shelters involved, you can visit their website here.
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