St. George’s Society of New York Honors Andrew Ridgeley at the British Bash
St. George’s Society of New York Honors Andrew Ridgeley at the British Bash, Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of WHAM!’s “Last Christmas”
NEW YORK CITY, NY, UNITED STATES, December 4, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- St. George’s Society of New York (SGSNY) is pleased to honor Andrew Ridgeley, who will be accepting the award on behalf of WHAM!, at their upcoming British Bash which will be held on Thursday, December 5th at Edison Ballroom.
This coincides with the 40th Anniversary of WHAM’s smash-hit song “Last Christmas,” which was released on December 3, 1984 and went on to reach Platinum sales in the UK and USA, and become number one in 16 countries. Andrew will be receiving the Anglo-American Cultural Award which recognizes those who enhance cultural ties between the U.S. and the U.K. The award will be presented by Rob Stringer, CBE, Chairman of Sony Music Group and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment who will also host a Q & A session with Ridgeley during the evening.
While St. George’s Society of New York is celebrating its 254th year, SGSNY’s British Bash has been a part of SGSNY’s calendar since 2011. The British Bash supports the organization’s three charitable programs. Now in its sixteenth year, SGSNY’s Scholarship Program provides critical financial aid and professional development opportunities to immigrants of first-generation students from the United Kingdom or the Commonwealth in their final year of undergraduate studies. Since its inception, the Program has awarded more than $1.5 million.
The Beneficiary Program provides quality-of-life support to vulnerable seniors, protecting them from experiencing homelessness, poverty, isolation and neglect. Each year, SGSNY helps 100 seniors with housing assistance, home care expenses, medication, and utility costs. The Weatherstone Family Support Fund provides practical and logistical support to families affected by pediatric cancer traveling to New York for life-saving treatment.
“I am thrilled to be recognized with this year’s award,” said Andrew Ridgeley. “St. George’s Society of New York does critical work to support the most vulnerable New Yorkers and even families from the U.K. and Ireland and I am honored to do my part to help them achieve their mission.”
SGSNY would like to thank their Gold Sponsors, Virgin Atlantic and Sony Music, for their generous support.
For more information about the British Bash, please visit: https://www.stgeorgessociety.org/british-bash
About Andrew Ridgeley
Andrew, born in Surrey, England, met George Michael at Bushey Mead School. Their friendship led to WHAM!'s formation in 1981, capturing hearts worldwide with their energetic performances. Andrew’s talent and charisma drove the duo to become one of the biggest names in pop music history, helping to launch his best friend into becoming one of the greatest singer/songwriters of our generation. Andrew’s autobiography, "WHAM! George Michael & Me" (2019), and a recent Netflix documentary have reignited interest in their story.
WHAM! sold 30 million records worldwide, with their second album, "Make It Big" (1984), reaching number 1 in both the US and UK. Iconic singles like “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,” “Everything She Wants,” and “Careless Whisper” topped the US Billboard Hot 100. Their music remains timeless, with “Last Christmas” recently achieving UK Christmas number 1, 39 years after its release.
Andrew is a dedicated cyclist, regularly participating in Lawrence Dallaglio’s Cycle Slams for Dallaglio Rugby Works, a charity supporting excluded young people.