By Leisa Barnett Posted: Thursday 07 March 2013
Designer on why charity matters
Comic Relief may be all about doing something funny for money but, as Stella McCartney knows, where that money goes can make a very serious difference.
The designer – who created the official T-shirts for this year’s event – has spoken exclusively to ELLE about her visit to New Horizons, a central London day centre offering support and counselling to vulnerable young women, which is funded by Red Nose Day donations.
‘Looking at them now, it’s hard to comprehend the tragic circumstances that have led these girls to come here,’ Stella explains. ‘Many are homeless having been kicked out of their homes and others have faced physical and sexual abuse that’s left them feeling scared and alone. It’s clear almost immediately that this place is actually a safe haven when they have nowhere else to turn.
‘To not have your parents around to guide you through such a critical part of your life is unimaginable for most of us. And to have the self-motivation to achieve what these young women have is just incredible and so admirable. They should be so proud of themselves. They are very strong women.’
It couldn’t be simpler to lend your support to projects like New Horizons, both in the UK and abroad. Stella didn’t scoop our ELLE Style Award for Best International Designer for nothing this year and buying one of the T-shirts she’s created exclusively for Comic Relief 2013 – available now for just £9.99 at TK Maxx – is a good place to start.
‘Having now seen first-hand what a difference the money raised through Comic Relief can make, even on our own doorstep, I’m proud to be supporting this year’s Red Nose Day fundraising campaign. Designing the T-Shirt collection seems like a relatively small thing for me to do, but it can have a big impact on people’s lives and I hope everyone gets involved in any way they can.’
Kate Moss has got hers. What are you waiting for?
This year’s Red Nose Day is next Friday, 15 March. Stick with ELLE to see what we’ll be doing for money this year...
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