May 2010
Tom Hardy's new starring role as Prince's Trust Ambassador
Hollywood star Tom Hardy has paid a special
visit to the capital to meet disadvantaged young people supported
by The Prince’s Trust.
The London-born actor has just
been announced a new Ambassador for the youth charity and was
introduced to eight young people at the West End’s Soho Sanctum
Hotel, where he ran workshops to boost their confidence, motivation
and self esteem.
Hardy overcame addiction and related behavioural issues to
achieve phenomenal success as an actor, starring in films such as
Black Hawk Down, Bronson, RocknRolla and multi award-winning series
Band Of Brothers.
He is now supporting young people through The Prince’s Trust,
which helps disadvantaged people aged 14 to 30 overcome barriers
and move into work, education or training.
The group, aged 19 to 24, were chosen to meet Hardy after
turning their lives around with help from The Prince’s Trust.
Between them they have experienced gangs, homelessness, long-term
unemployment, drug addiction and prison yet all of them are now
Young Ambassadors for the youth charity.
Speaking openly and frankly about his own personal journey,
Hardy used role play to encourage the group to consider how they
perceived themselves and those around them to boost their
confidence and self-worth.
They all care passionately about making a
success of their lives. I find their enthusiasm incredibly
infectious, partly because I can really relate to their struggles.
It's great to be able to put my personal experience to some use,
and help them build up some confidence.
Tom Hardy
Twenty-year-old Leigh Maggs
from Kingsbury had been excluded from school and became involved
with drugs. By 15, she had left school with no qualifications and
had hit rock bottom.
She joined The Prince’s Trust 12 week Team programme which gave
her the confidence to study Art and Design.
She is now pursuing a career in costume design and fashion and
uses her role as a Prince’s Trust young ambassador to help those in
need of a second chance.
Leigh said: “Tom really related to my life and his work as a
Prince’s Trust ambassador is going to be fantastic for everyone who
has the opportunity to work with him. It was lovely to meet him and
see what he’s doing for those who are where he once was.”
Tom added: “I became an Ambassador for The Prince’s Trust to
show my support for its work with tens of thousands of
disadvantaged young people every year. It’s so important to me that
they get the life-changing second chance that I had.”