Nicholas Hoult, actor and longtime supporter of Save the Children, has surprised children at a play project in London as he becomes the charity’s newest celebrity ambassador, just a day after attending a fan event for his latest film, Superman.
Visiting Rich Mix in East London, Hoult – who stars as Lex Luthor in the film –joined an after-school club to surprise children aged 7 to 11 from the local area as they took part in a film and multimedia workshop on what it means to be a superhero. In addition to participating in the workshop, which saw the children script, film and act out their very own sketches of villains and superheroes, Hoult also took part in a Q&A session with the students.
The children had a chance to enjoy a sneak peek of the new Superman film moments before Hoult arrived. They immediately asked for ‘Lex’s’ autograph before urging him to facetime his co-star ‘Superman’. After discussing all aspects of the film’s production and the wonders of CGI, the budding film-makers asked Hoult about his childhood and what had inspired him to become an actor.
Speaking about his visit, Hoult said: “It’s been a real privilege to meet the children here at Rich Mix on my first day as an official ambassador for Save the Children. Seeing the joy that they got from taking part in the workshop reminded me how much I loved being involved in film from a young age. It’s clear how passionate they are and it’s been so inspiring to meet the next generation of creatives, who come from all walks of life. I have no doubt they’re on the right path to fulfill their dreams.”
Based in Shoreditch, Rich Mix is a charity and community arts centre. As well as providing free after school clubs, it partners with Save the Children's ‘Power of Play’ project, which supports children's learning through creative play. The project sees Save the Children and other partners support Tower Hamlets caregivers and educators to embed play-based learning at home, in schools, and the community.
Child poverty in the UK has reached a devastating new high of 4.5 million, with 1 in 3 children living in poverty*. The latest data shows that in Tower Hamlets alone, 32,775 children are living in poverty - that’s 47% of children living in the local authority, the highest across all local authorities in London**.
Save the Children is one of the leading children’s charities in the UK, running a range of a programmes aimed at supporting children living in poverty and narrowing the gap between children from low-income families and their better-off classmates.
Mabel McKeown, Head of Corporate Partnerships at Save the Children, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Nicholas as our latest official ambassador, and want to thank him for his unwavering support over the years. It’s been wonderful to see how excited the children have been at the opportunity to meet with him at Rich Mix and hear about his journey in the film industry - something they’re all so passionate about. Save the Children believes that every child in the UK should get a chance to realise their dreams, no matter what situation they’re born into and today's workshop with Nicholas has been truly inspiring for the children involved.”
Hoult joins Ashley Jensen, Dom Joly, Joely Richardson, Misan Harriman, Sir Mo Farah, Myleene Klass, Poppy Delevingne and Sophie Ellis Bextor as the latest celebrity to join Save the Children as an official ambassador. Ambassadors for the charity visit projects, promote campaigns and work tirelessly to help get the charity’s message heard.
For more information about Save the Children, or to donate, head to savethechildren.org.uk
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References
*These statistics are taken from the Department for Work & Pensions: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/households-below-average-income-for-financial-years-ending-1995-to-2024
**These statistics are taken from End Child Poverty: https://endchildpoverty.org.uk/child-poverty-2024/
For Save the Children media enquiries, please contact: [email protected] / 07831 650 409
About Save the Children
Save the Children exists to create lasting change for and with children. In more than 100 countries including the UK, we make sure children stay safe, healthy and learning, and change the future for good. We find new ways to reach children, no matter where they’re growing up. For a century, we’ve stood up for children’s rights and made sure their voices are heard.
For more information visit www.savethechildren.org.uk
About Rich Mix
Rich Mix is an independent arts centre and creative hub in the heart of East London. Open since 2006, we’re a charity connecting some of the city’s most adventurous and diverse audiences with an ambitious programme that puts music, film and creative engagement at its core.
Rooted in the city but open to the world, we champion diversity in everything we do. Our cinema showcases the best in independent films and festivals, alongside blockbusters, while our live music programme brings sounds from across the globe to East London.
We put creative engagement at the heart of our mission. Through our programmes, we nurture, develop and facilitate the creative potential of young people, families, children and communities from across East London.
Our commitment to diversity goes beyond programming. A Shoreditch landmark, our building is home to 20+ socially engaged and innovative creative organisations.
The Creative After School Club is part of our Schools programme, Flip the Script, a year-long project focusing on improving engagement in learning through storytelling and film. Last year we engaged 2289 local children through workshops in schools, screenings at Rich Mix, and after school clubs.