Amida has raised £62,500 for two local children’s hospices thanks to the help of actor James Nesbitt and artist Damien Hirst.

The racquets and fitness spas – located in Beckenham, Kent and Hampton, Middlesex – hosted a charity auction where one of the top bids was for two people to be background actors with James Nesbitt in his next production of Murphy’s Law, followed by dinner at The Ivy.

Turner Prize-winning artist, Damien Hirst, also donated two of his spin paintings entitled All Spun Out, which he created especially for the auction: they raised £47,000.

Max Wildsmith, chair of Amida’s parent company, Stax Leisure, raised a further £15,500 through a sponsored bike ride to Paris.

The proceeds will be divided between the children’s hospices, Demelza House in Kent and The Shooting Star Children’s Hospice in Hampton, together with The Simon Turner Appeal. Simon Turner was paralysed in a swimming pool accident and Amida aims to purchase a specially-adapted vehicle to enable him to regain his independence.