Olympic Stars and Boat Race Rivals Light Up Boat Race Gala Dinner

Last night The 2013 Boat Race Gala Dinner was held at the London Film Museum on the South-bank of the River Thames, just a few miles from the stretch on which the two Blue Boats will battle it out in 9 days’ time.

Hosted by Sir Matthew Pinsent, guests were joined by the two Blue Boat crews who will Race on 31st March, for a unique insight into the two camps just days away from this year’s Race, and were given the opportunity to get involved in BNY Mellon’s Which Blue Are You? campaign by showing their support for either Light or Dark Blue.

It is one of the few times during The Boat Race season that the crews come face-to-face with each other, and this year the crews were also joined by some of the top Olympic stars from around the world. Supporting Cambridge were a number of famous ‘Light Blues’ including double Olympic Gold medallist Tom James, London 2012 Gold medallist Anna Watkins, and Beijing Silver medallist and CUWBC Assistant Coach Annie Vernon. Dark Blue host, Sir Matthew Pinsent, was joined by fellow ‘Dark Blue’, Beijing Silver medallist Colin Smith.

The Olympic line-up didn’t stop there though as Brits, double Olympic medallist Alex Partridge, Sydney Gold medallist and Cambridge Chief Coach Steve Trapmore, Beijing Bronze medallist Stephen Rowbotham, were joined by double Olympic Gold medallist American Caryn Davies and Australian Olympic Gold medallist Kate Allen.

Sports presenter Gabby Logan also attended to highlight the great work done by the Official BNY Mellon Boat Race Charity, youth charity The Prince’s Trust, which helps disadvantaged young people turn their lives around.

All funds raised on the evening and through the Boat Race will support The Trust’s Fairbridge programme, which gives vulnerable young people the practical support needed to stabilise their lives, encourages them to re-engage with their education or helps develop self-esteem and skills for work.

Generosity throughout the evening, and a particularly successful Silent Auction and Text to Donate promotion, meant that the evening raised close to £10,000 for this great cause.

The 2013 BNY Mellon Boat Race takes place in just nine days’ time on Sunday 31stMarch at 4.30pm.

About BNY Mellon: BNY Mellon is a global investments company dedicated to helping its clients manage and service their financial assets throughout the investment lifecycle. Whether providing financial services for institutions, corporations or individual investors, BNY Mellon delivers informed investment management and investment services in 36 countries and more than 100 markets. As of December 31, 2012, BNY Mellon had $26.2 trillion in assets under custody and/or administration, and $1.4 trillion in assets under management. BNY Mellon can act as a single point of contact for clients looking to create, trade, hold, manage, service, distribute or restructure investments. BNY Mellon is the corporate brand of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE: BK). Additional information is available on www.bnymellon.com, or follow us on Twitter @BNYMellon.

About The Prince’s Trust: Youth charity The Prince’s Trust helps disadvantaged young people to get their lives on track. It supports 13 to 30 year-olds who are unemployed and those struggling at school and at risk of exclusion. Many of the young people helped by The Prince’s Trust are in or leaving care, facing issues such as homelessness or mental health problems, or they have been in trouble with the law. The Trust’s programmes give vulnerable young people the practical and financial support needed to stabilise their lives, helping develop self-esteem and skills for work. Three in four young people supported by The Prince’s Trust move into work, education or training. The Prince of Wales’s charity has helped more than 700,000 young people since 1976 and supports 100 more each day. Further information about The Prince’s Trust is available at princes-trust.org.uk or on 0800 842 842.