An auction featuring a range of items kindly donated by Suffolk singing superstar, Ed Sheeran, has raised over £50,000 funds for St Elizabeth Hospice and our young adult service, Zest.
Held on 26 September, and hosted by Bishop & Miller Auctioneers, the auction showcased 200 lots of Ed Sheeran’s personal items donated to our Martlesham retail shop, with Ed’s fans, aka Sheerios, placing bids both in the room and online from around the world.
From trainers, jackets and t-shirts, through to some of his prized musical instruments, there really was something for everyone to enjoy and place all-important bids on, as the lots went under the hammer.
Highlights included Ed’s Ipswich Town away shirt from the 2021 – 2022 season which sold for a brilliant £2,000, while the star lot of the evening was Ed’s custom made Fernandes ZO-3 limited edition Pokémon guitar which sold for an outstanding £11,000.
Clare Chater, Direction of Income Generation at St Elizabeth Hospice, said: “What an amazing evening! We’re hugely grateful to Bishop & Miller Auctioneers for hosting the auction and thank you to everybody who supported the event, which has raised vital funds for St Elizabeth Hospice.
“A special thank you, of course, must go to Ed Sheeran for his incredible generosity in donating such a remarkable series of items. His support has created a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for fans to own some unique memorabilia, which I am sure will be cherished by the successful bidders.
“Each year, our hospice team cares for thousands of individuals across East & Mid Suffolk, Great Yarmouth & Waveney. We’re totally reliant on donations to continue to deliver our essential services, so every penny raised through this auction will make a difference to the lives of those under our care.”
Other standout lots of the evening included a heart painting, which attracted plenty of bidding both online and in the room, eventually selling to an East Anglian buyer for £3,500. While Ed’s custom painted Martin LXM acoustic guitar was purchased for £3,400 by local Ed Sheeran fan, Rob Jarvis, to add to his collection of Ed Sheeran custom guitars.
Oliver Miller, Managing Director of Bishop & Miller said of the evening, “Wow what can I say, what a great night we have had and we have raised a fantastic amount for the hospice.
“We had an inkling that it would be a good auction just because of the pre-bids we were seeing, however it far exceeded what we thought we could achieve, so thank you to everyone who purchased something in the auction. Your money is definitely going to a very worthy cause.”