The Bidding Room - Live Aid T-shirt, Charity Auction for RNLI & Northumberland National Park Mountain Rescue Team

by Estelle Bilson

Back in April I filmed Series three of the Bidding Room in Halifax.  As a dealer on this programme, we never know what we are going to see until it is filming, it really a surprise for us as we never know what is going to walk in through the door.

BBC1 The Bidding Room Episode 1 Series 3 Nigel Havers with Estelle Bilson of 70s House Manchester with Adrian Higham and Natasha Francis in background

One of the contributors that came on was Chris Weston, from Bristol, who bought along something very unusual and completely unique.
Chris unveiled a framed, unworn Live Aid t-shirt. A rarity in itself due to the 36 years since the iconic simultaneous concerts held at Wembley, London, UK and in J.F.Kennedy Stadium, Philadelphia, USA. This one was different, it was signed!

Signed Live Aid T-shirt by Bob Geldof The Bidding Room Charity Auction RNLI

Chris told how he bought the t-shirt before the concert and waited outside BBC television studios stage door after the ‘Wogan’ chat show the night before the concert on 12th July 1985, and had the t-shirt signed, not only by Terry Wogan, but by Nik Kershaw and event organiser Bob Geldof.

Terry Wogan on 'Wogan' chat show with Bob Geldof, Nik Kershaw 12/07/85

Terry Wogan signature on Live Aid T-shirt The Bidding Room BBc1 Estelle Bilson

Bob Geldof, who with Midge Ure has gone down in history as one of the men who’s call to action spawned the charitable ‘Band Aid’ supergroup. Band Aid released the Number 1 Christmas Single of 1984 ‘ Do They Know its Christmas’ which raised over 8 million pounds for the famine in Ethiopia charity.

Signed Live Aid T-shirt by Bob Geldof The Bidding Room Charity Auction RNLISigned Live Aid T-shirt by Bob Geldof The Bidding Room Charity Auction RNLI Queen, U2, David Bowie, Madonna, Black Sabbath,

The Live Aid concert was held on Saturday 13th July 1985 and notable bands of the time (and now) played, such as U2, Dire Straits, Status Quo and most famously Queen which is featured in the film Bohemian Rhapsody who undoubtably stole the show.
Queen at Live Aid 1985 Freddie Mercury
 

I was eight at the time of Live Aid and I vividly remember the excitement before the event as we all watched it on our television, it was something anyone who was alive at the time remembers.  It is also woven into part of our social history, even people who weren’t born are aware of the Band Aid/Live Aid movement and every Christmas we are reminded of the cause. 

Chris came onto the Bidding Room to sell this T-shirt which has hung on the walls of his home for 36 years, his story touched all of the dealers on set, and his motive for selling was to raise funds for two charities that were close to his heart after a series of bereavements in his family – the Royal National Lifeboat Association (RNLI) and Northumberland National Park Mountain Rescue Team.

The bidding started with myself, I have some knowledge of how much vintage t-shirts sell for, especially iconic bands from the 80s and 90s, these can often realise over £250 (worn and unsigned) and on this basis I kicked off the bidding.  It was a tough bidding war, but I finally won with a winning bid of £500. 

“The two organisations do an awful lot for people and don’t get nearly enough recognition. If they help to save a life - whether it is someone who is five or 95 years-old – there is no price in the world that can be put on that” – Chris Weston.

Chris Weston and Estelle Bilson - 70s House Manchester backstage at The Bidding Room - Live Aid t-shirt charity auction

 

Talking to Chris that day it seemed the right thing to do was to auction off the t-shirt in a charity auction and ALL profits from the auction go to the charities of his choice. On this promise I am delighted to be able to offer this iconic piece of Rock and Roll history on a 7-day auction on eBay starting at £500 opening bids  ***BID HERE***
 
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