Coronation Street stars from past and present are teaming up to front a major new campaign.
Yasmeen Nazir actor Shelley King, and former Hayley Cropper actor Julie Hesmondhalgh, have
joined forces with modern slavery charity Causeway for their Stand With Survivors campaign.
Also involved are EastEnders’ Maisie Smith and Emmerdale’s Charlie Hardwick.
In recent years, modern slavery cases across the UK have been on the rise. It is estimated
that over 50 million people worldwide are currently trapped in modern slavery and
exploitation, with over 100,000 of those in the UK.
Now former Hayley Cropper actor Julie Hesmondhalgh, who played the popular
Coronation Street character until her tragic onscreen death in 2014, is to front a new
campaign for UK modern slavery charity Causeway, called Stand With Survivors. Julie isn’t
alone, alongside her fronting the campaign is current Coronation Street favourite Shelley
King, who has played Speed Daal co-owner Yasmeen Nazir in the soap for over 10 years.
The Survivors: Life Beyond Exploitation campaign aims to increase awareness around
modern slavery, and educate the public about the signs to look out for which indicate
somebody may be experiencing modern slavery and exploitation.
In a special film that has been produced for the campaign, Julie explains that when it
comes to the number of people currently experiencing modern slavery, “globally,
estimates put this figure at over 50 million”.
Shelley adds that “modern slavery takes many different forms”, and that Causeway, who
are one of the UK’s largest providers of modern slavery support, “exist to support,
empower and create change for survivors”.
Other celebrities fronting the campaign alongside Julie and Shelley, include former
EastEnders actors Maisie Smith, best known as Tiffany Butcher, and Cliff Parisi, who played
Minty Peterson. Two former Emmerdale stars are also involved, Charlie Hardwick, who
played Val Pollard, and Ruby Haswell actor Alicya Eyo. Both Val and Alicya lost their lives
in Emmerdale’s 2015 fairground helicopter crash.
Julie Hesmondhalgh said: “Causeway support some of the most marginalised people in
our society. Their experiences and voices are all too often not heard or valued. I am
honoured to be involved with this Stand With Survivors campaign, and hope it will shine a
much-needed spotlight on modern slavery, and help towards creating lasting change for
the brave survivors affected by it.”
Shelley King said: “Causeway work tirelessly to support modern slavery survivors to rebuild
their lives, and empowering them to live freely and without fear. However, the reality is
that modern slavery is on the rise, and that’s why it’s so important that as a community we
come together, to build a world free from modern slavery, and one where nobody is left
vulnerable and exposed to exploitation.”
No comments:
Post a Comment