Babingtons raises funds for young people in Darjeeling.

Babingtons, the historic English tea room at the foot of Rome's Spanish Steps, will hold a charity auction on 7 October to raise funds for its project Babingtons for Darjeeling.

The charity initiative is aimed at girls and boys from Darjeeling, a region of India noted around the world for its tea production but which is currently experiencing a period of economic difficulty.

Babingtons for Darjeeling raises funds to help young people undertake a series of training programmes to open up new possibilities for future employment.

Darjeeling has a special place in the hearts of Babingtons, which recently celebrated its 125th anniversary; the first tea to be served at the Rome tea house in 1893 was a Darjeeling black tea.

The charity evening, reserved for the press and most loyal customers, will feature an auction of Babingtons objects and products, with proceeds being donated entirely to support Babingtons for Darjeeling.