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| Great Ormond Street Hospital shuns scandal charity | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Great Ormond Street Hospital has said it will return previous donations from a charity dinner after allegations of sexual harassment at this year's event. | |
| An undercover Financial Times reporter worked as a hostess at the dinner and alleges she and other hostesses were groped and sexually harassed. | |
| "We're shocked to hear of the behaviour reported," said a hospital spokeswoman. | |
| "We have had no involvement in the organisation of this event and were never due to receive money from it." | |
| Hostesses 'shocked' | Hostesses 'shocked' |
| Madison Marriage, the Financial Times reporter who worked at the event, says hostesses were not warned that they might be sexually harassed. | |
| Ms Marriage told BBC Newsnight: "I was groped several times and I know there are numerous other hostesses who said the same thing happened to them. | Ms Marriage told BBC Newsnight: "I was groped several times and I know there are numerous other hostesses who said the same thing happened to them. |
| "It's a hands up skirts, hands on bums but also hands on hips, hands on stomachs, arms going round your waist unexpectedly. | "It's a hands up skirts, hands on bums but also hands on hips, hands on stomachs, arms going round your waist unexpectedly. |
| "This isn't, I suppose, a high-level groping, but one of the strangest things was you could be talking to a man and he'd suddenly start holding your hand. | "This isn't, I suppose, a high-level groping, but one of the strangest things was you could be talking to a man and he'd suddenly start holding your hand. |
| "I knew stuff like that might happen on the night but I wasn't 100% sure. But there are plenty of other women there who had absolutely no idea that was the kind of event it would be and I had one woman tell me that she was shocked. She was asked if she was a prostitute on the night." | "I knew stuff like that might happen on the night but I wasn't 100% sure. But there are plenty of other women there who had absolutely no idea that was the kind of event it would be and I had one woman tell me that she was shocked. She was asked if she was a prostitute on the night." |
| Ms Marriage said that the 130 hostesses were told to wear skimpy black outfits with matching underwear and high heels and also that they could drink alcohol while working. | Ms Marriage said that the 130 hostesses were told to wear skimpy black outfits with matching underwear and high heels and also that they could drink alcohol while working. |
| 'Regrettable' | |
| WPP, the world's biggest advertising agency, has said it is withdrawing its future support for the dinner after the allegations. | |
| WPP sponsored a table at the dinner, which took place last Thursday. | |
| Boss Sir Martin Sorrell told the BBC his guests did not see such behaviour. | |
| But he added that his company would not support the Presidents Club Charity Dinner event in the future. | |
| Sir Martin was not at this year's event at London's Dorchester Hotel and said: "I have never seen anything like that. | |
| "We checked with our people who were there at our table and they said they saw nothing of that kind - but we issued a statement saying that we won't support the charity in future, which is regrettable because it is a charity that supports numerous children's charities and has done a lot of good work." | |
| 'Completely different' | 'Completely different' |
| Maria Miller, chair of the Women and Equalities Select Committee, told the BBC: "I think that at a time when Hollywood and Westminster are getting their act in order tackling sexual harassment - to see so many members of the top establishment British business involved in an event like this, I think really does give cause for concern and really has to bring into question as to whether or not the laws are strong enough in this area." | |
| Newsnight's political editor, Nicholas Watt, said he understood that new Education Minister Nadhim Zahawi was present, but that he left early because he felt "it was a bizarre and uncomfortable event". | Newsnight's political editor, Nicholas Watt, said he understood that new Education Minister Nadhim Zahawi was present, but that he left early because he felt "it was a bizarre and uncomfortable event". |
| Mr Watt added: "It's worth pointing out that he has been to the event before - that's before he was elected an MP in 2010 - but as I understand it, he felt that the event then was completely different to the event that he attended last week." | Mr Watt added: "It's worth pointing out that he has been to the event before - that's before he was elected an MP in 2010 - but as I understand it, he felt that the event then was completely different to the event that he attended last week." |
| Part of the event included a charity auction, with one of the prizes was the chance to have tea with Bank of England governor Mark Carney. | |
| However, a Bank of England spokesman said: "The Bank of England did not approve any prize for auction on the occasion described nor would it have for that organisation under its guidelines for charitable giving." | |
| The spokesman added that the Bank will not be permitting anyone who secured the "prize" to take it up. | |
| Have you ever worked as a hostess at an event like this? Please share your experiences with us by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk | |
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