JK Rowling and Elton John named ‘most generous celebrities’
JK Rowling. (Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images)
Harry Potter author JK Rowling and Sir Elton John have been named the most generous celebrities for the past year.
The Sunday Times Giving list names the most generous philanthropists.
Published today, it noted that a record number of philanthropists, including Sir Elton and Rowling, who have given £1 million or more to charity.
The Rocketman singer and the famed author have each donated way more, with the former having donated £26.8m, mainly through his AIDS Foundation.
Rowling came second in terms of celebrity donors, having generated and donated £10.3m through her two charities.
Other celebs on the list include the band Coldplay, which donated £1.7m, Ringo Starr, who raised £6.4m, David Beckham with £5m.
Starr recently cancelled a gig in North Carolina over the state’s anti-LGBT HB2.
The list is sponsored by the Charities Aid Foundation which helps the wealthy make donations.
John Low, Chief Executive of CAF, said: “Young people are the future of giving and the celebrities many people look up to can play a massive role in setting an example and showing how rewarding it is to give.
“Those on the Rich List who give to good causes provide much so more than just financial support. When stars from Coldplay and One Direction to Rory Mcilroy and David Beckham give to charity, they send out an important message about the positive impact we can all have by supporting causes we care about.”
The Sunday Times Giving List is ranked by the proportion of wealth donated in the past year.
It was topped by the Sainsbury family who have given away £220m in the past year, equating to 40 percent of their wealth.
