Help a Hungry Child: Help a Hungry Child: Jon Hamm, Daisy Lowe and Frank Lampard answer your calls in today's charity telethon

Readers are invited to call in and donate to the fundraiser, which will run until 8pm on Thursday. The number is 0800 610 1172

Jon Hamm answering calls in today's Christmas appeal telethon (Lucy Pasha-Robinson/Independent)

Frank Lampard, Daisy Lowe, Jon Hamm, Vince Cable and a host of other stars are joining The Independent and Evening Standard journalists on Thursday to host the paper's first ever charity telethon.

Readers are invited to call 0800 610 1172 and donate to the fundraiser, which will run from 8am to 8pm, to raise money for our Help a Hungry Child Christmas appeal in support of The Felix Project.

“This is a brilliant cause, and I’m delighted the Evening Standard and Independent are throwing their weight behind it,” said Lampard, the former England and Chelsea footballer and Evening Standard columnist.

“Primary school is a vital time in the development of any schoolchild, and this appeal will help ensure London's children don't go hungry.”

The editors of the Standard and Independent, George Osborne and Christian Broughton, will both be taking part, as will columnists and writers from both papers and an array of the country's brightest talent from variety of fields.

Some of the big name stars joining Evening Standard and Independent journalists on Thursday (Evening Standard/Independent)

Hamm, best known for playing ad exec Don Draper in Mad Men, was inspired to help out after hearing about the appeal at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards earlier this week.

Readers could equally find themselves talking with last year's Britain's Got Talent winner Tokio Myers, swapping Brexit banter with political columnists John Rentoul and Matt D'Ancona, procuring travel tips from Simon Calder or even getting legal advice from Rob Rinder, the only barrister to have appeared on Strictly Come Dancing.

Top chefs Ollie Dabbous, Jose Pizarro and Eran Tibi will be representing London's restaurant scene, while former England bowling legend Angus Fraser may be able to explain exactly what's going on in the Ashes. His club, Middlesex, have been loyal supporters of The Felix Project.

Those in need of a new look this Christmas might be able to get tips from leading fashion designer Henry Holland. Cable will be joined by his fellow Lib Dem and former children's TV presenter, Floella Benjamin.

Other Evening Standard and Independent journalists taking part include Jo LoDico, David Smyth, Ben Machell, Laura Weir, Will Moore, Dan Jones, Sean O'Grady, Phoebe Luckhurst and Ayesha Hazarika.

The Help A Hungry Child Appeal is raising money for The Felix Project, the food poverty and food surplus charity founded by the Evening Standard & Independent's chairman, Justin Byam Shaw. The Christmas appeal is supporting a new initiative in primary schools, helping to ensure that no child goes hungry.

“The telethon is a great way of directly involving readers and journalists, along with other generous supporters in our important appeal,” said Kristina Spindler, head of fundraising at The Felix Project.

“All of us at The Felix Project encourage people to phone in tomorrow and donate to support our Help A Hungry Child Appeal – ensuring our Felix Market Stalls can be established in disadvantaged primary schools across London, to help channel food directly to those young children and their families who are in the greatest need.”