Renowned actor Dominic West, known for his role as Charles III on The Crown, has recently become the face of a local homeless charity in his current city of Bath. Astonished by the extent of homelessness in a prosperous place like Bath, West has decided to step up and make a difference. He has taken on the role of ambassador for Julian House, a Somerset-based charity, to support their mission to combat homelessness.
Expressing his emotional connection to the issue, West stated, “I find homelessness a particularly emotive subject and I have worked for a homelessness charity in Dublin. I moved to Bath five years ago and it’s not the sort of place you would expect to see the problem of homelessness, so it is rather shocking seeing this extent of the issue in a prosperous place like Bath. I think the shock of that and seeing what great work Julian House does, made me want to do something to help if I can.”
West had already been involved in the charity’s activities by donating food from his own farm to Julian House’s emergency shelter in Bath, as well as visiting their emergency shelters and domestic violence refuges. His new appointment as ambassador coincides with World Homelessness Day (October 10) and the significant 19% increase in rough sleeping in Somerset since last Autumn. Despite this, Julian House has provided supported housing for 26 individuals in the area this year.
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In addition to his philanthropic endeavors, West is a celebrated actor with an impressive career, having appeared in acclaimed productions like The Wire and The Crown, earning prestigious accolades for his performances.
Julian House offers a variety of services to aid struggling individuals, including domestic violence shelters, assistance for refugees, support for individuals with learning disabilities, aid for those battling addiction, and access to housing for the homeless.
Helen Bedser, CEO of Julian House, expressed her excitement about West’s involvement, saying, “We are thrilled to welcome Dominic West as our new ambassador. It is fantastic that he has decided to build on his existing support for our homelessness shelter by becoming an ambassador for our wider work across Bath and the South West. We are all looking forward to working with him in the future.”