More than 20 celebrities, including Nicola Coughlan and Paapa Essiedu, are taking part in a charity auction to raise funds for students in Gaza who have won places at UK universities but lack the funding to attend. Coordinated by charity Phoenix Space, the auction responds to a UK government pledge to help Gaza-based students travel to and study in Britain, provided they secure fully funded scholarships, and aims to bridge that funding gap for those already holding offers.

Alongside Coughlan and Essiedu, contributors include Brian Cox, Gary Lineker, Paloma Faith, Maxine Peake, Juliet Stevenson, Charlotte Church, Harriet Walter, Vanessa Redgrave and Janet Suzman, each donating a personal or meaningful item. This year's cohort of Gaza students holds offers from University College London, Imperial College London and the University of Edinburgh, in fields including artificial intelligence and cognitive neuroscience. Bidding opens on 27 July and will run for ten days via the Scholarships for Gaza auction website.