It was a proud day for Jasmine Guinness and her two friends, anthropologist Zita Lloyd and model Jade Parfitt, when they presented Aidlink, a small Third World development organisation based in Dublin, with £61,541.83.
The money was raised at a gala fashion show held in Vicar Street earlier this year, when international models and photographers flew in to take part. Anne Cleary, executive director of Aidlink, says this cheque will have "a huge impact on what we are doing", especially in community projects in sub-Saharan Africa.
Guinness, who plans to return to her modelling career next year, is currently at home in Leixlip with her 10-week old baby, Arthur Elwood Rainey. "He doesn't cry much at all; he's very placid and very aware," she says. "He's a very smiley baby." Arthur Elwood, whose father is London-based Gawain Rainey, a fashion and advertising producer, is the recipient of much love, not least because he is Desmond Guinness's first great-grandchild.
Another charity fashion show is planned for next year, according to Guinness. "In 10 years, there will be 100 million orphans from AIDS alone," she says, citing one of the statistics which fuelled her fund-raising work this year.