An evening celebrating the 70th birthday of the ever-excellent and sadly much-needed Oxfam, Eight Stories High told the story of the charity from its humble beginnings in an Oxford library to the global anti-poverty movement known and appreciated by millions today. And it entertained too.

BBC arts correspondent Will Gompertz worked tirelessly all evening as compere, ad-libbing to sustain the momentum of this evening of music, video, interviews and spoken word to a packed audience at the Oxford Playhouse.

Pieces were performed by local celebrities, high profile believers in the spirit of Oxfam, and even national treasure Michael Eavis – the founder of Glastonbury Festival. And their stories proved to be funny, inspirational, sad and fascinating.

John Simpson ably began the evening praising the non-sentimental attitude of Oxfam workers in the field.

Mali-born singer Rokia Traoré was a revelation, performing two beautifully haunting sets, while upbeat moments came from the cheeky Tabu Flo, a Ugandan street dance group, who met through the Breakdance Project, and who use their energetic performance to create positive social change.

Kristen Davis, AKA Charlotte from Sex and the City (see left), brought Hollywood glamour and sentimentality to the proceedings and was in tears as she told the story of her experience as an Oxfam ambassador in refugee camps in Africa. She even gamely handed over her five-inch-high black patent Louboutins for a raffle being drawn the next morning.

Sadly the winner was not me.

We left the theatre inspired by the positive actions of Oxfam and its tireless campaigning for a better future, and decided to become philanthropists. But, while I decide on a cause, I’ll be signing up for £5 per month to Oxfam, which really does seem to know what it’s doing.

Claudia Figueiredo