It’s no surprise that many celebrities donate a portion of their earnings to charity each year. But a number of stars have taken their dedication to a cause to the next level, becoming ambassadors or patrons of charities they feel particularly passionate about.
Although part of the job of an ambassador is to bring attention to their cause, many members of the general public are unaware of which celebrities work with which charities, and some are actually quite surprising. So to help you out, we’ve compiled a list of those in the public eye who take time out of their hectic lives to try and make a real difference.
Michael Sheen – UNICEF
A UNICEF UK ambassador since 2014, the Welsh actor has travelled all over the globe with the charity to try and help those most in need. Additionally, in late 2021, Sheen announced he was becoming a ‘not-for-profit actor’, meaning he would be using the entirety of his future earnings to fund social projects.
Lando Norris – Mind
When he’s not racing around the track, Lando works closely with Mind to raise awareness of the importance of looking after your mental health. As well as being open about his own struggles, the Brit has worn a number of custom crash helmets during Formula 1 races that have later been auctioned to raise money for the charity.
Perrie Edwards – CoppaFeel!
The Little Mix star became a patron of CoppaFeel! in 2019 and has since made it her mission to increase breast cancer awareness among young people. The 28-year-old uses her far-reaching social media presence to shout about the importance of checking your breasts, as well as more broadly flying the flag for the charity.
Vicky McClure – Alzheimer’s Society
Vicky McClure, most famous for playing Kate Fleming on the BBC drama Line of Duty, became an ambassador for Alzheimer’s Society in honour of her grandmother, Iris, who had dementia. The actress has taken part in the Memory Walk, the charity’s flagship fundraising event, every year since 2011, and uses her voice to raise funds and awareness for the charity.
Ricky Gervais – All Dogs Matter
A well-known animal lover, Gervais is one of the celebrity ambassadors for All Dogs Matter alongside other stars such as Alan Carr and Michelle Collins. The award-winning writer, actor and comedian has been very outspoken about animal rights throughout his career, particularly on his social media accounts.
Ella Henderson – Teenage Cancer Trust
The 25-year-old British pop sensation has supported Teenage Cancer Trust for a number of years and recently headlined the charity’s Michael Josephson’s Annual Charity Ball, which raised more than £750,000 for good causes.
Cel Spellman – WWF
An actor and presenter from Manchester, Cel Spellman’s connection with WWF began at the young age of 10, when he first adopted an animal. Since being in the public eye, he has used his platform to help promote the work of the charity and is the host of WWF’s podcast series, Call of the Wild.
Scarlett Moffatt – Samaritans
TV personality Scarlett Moffatt called the Samaritans helpline in 2016 after struggling to cope with trolling off after winning I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. Four years later, she became a charity ambassador and has dedicated her time to helping others who may be struggling, and encouraging them to reach out for help.
Although you may not be in the position to be a celebrity ambassador for a charity, that doesn’t mean you can’t support the causes you care about and make a positive impact. Using the Toucan app, you can easily donate to over 20,000 charities and show the world what you stand for.
