Category: Philanthropy

“My Song” – Damian Lewis: The Story of a Photograph and The McCrory Award

“These are kids who otherwise would have no access to the arts and no space in which to express themselves freely, fully and joyfully. It’s brilliant what Debbi and HvH ARTS does. It’s incredible what it achieves. And I’m extremely proud to call myself its Patron.” — Damian Lewis

“My Song” – Damian Lewis by photographer and HvH Arts CEO Debbi Clark

This post is past due.

I bought this photograph by Debbi Clark, an accomplished professional photographer who is also the founder and CEO of Sir Hubert Von Herkomer Arts Foundation (HvH Arts in short) back in 2022 in support of The McCrory Award. 100% of the proceeds from art sales on HvH Arts Gallery fund this award, given annually in memory of Helen McCrory, to gifted unprivileged young people so they can have access to resources and training they need to fulfill their dreams. Continue reading ““My Song” – Damian Lewis: The Story of a Photograph and The McCrory Award”

From Dick Winters to Steve McQueen: The “American” Damian Lewis

“This sounds absurdly pretentious, but the American Damian, I’m sort of oddly comfortable with him.” – Damian Lewis

A Guardian article from July 2015 talks about Brits versus Yanks in Hollywood:

“The invasion of British and Irish leading men in Hollywood has now gone beyond a joke for many in the American entertainment industry. First noticed some time in 2011, the trend was initially dismissed as a novelty: an interesting phase that would pass, rather than as a threat. But this summer actors and directors are calling for action to mobilise American drama teachers and schools to counter it.”

So Hollywood has finally taken notice and is now somehow mobilizing to defend its territory against the British invasion 😀 Well, maybe it is too little too late at this point? I mean, it is not that the Brits are coming, but they have already arrived. Besides, Vanity Fair says “victory is assured” in the video clip below, with fabulous ginger alert at 0:29, about which I blogged about earlier here! Continue reading “From Dick Winters to Steve McQueen: The “American” Damian Lewis”

Throwback Thursday to Ride4Hugo in Memory of Hugo and Helen

L-R: Damian, his sister Amanda Yaxley, his brother Gareth Lewis, and brother in-law Charles Yaxley during the bike ride in memory of Hugo and Helen in June 2022

I find it beyond impressive when families turn their tragic losses into good for many others in memory of the loved ones they lost. Ride4Hugo, a campaign Damian’s family run in memory of Hugo Yaxley, Damian and Helen’s nephew, who tragically died in a car accident in November 2020, and also in memory of Helen, who passed away only 5 months after Hugo’s accident, is an extraordinary effort aimed to do good for so many people.

source: @yaxleymumma Instagram

And Hugo’s older brother Josh running the London Marathon last weekend in memory of Hugo and to raise funds for Place2Be, a mental health charity for children and young people, inspires me to re-visit the family’s Ride4Hugo campaign. Well done, Josh.

Continue reading “Throwback Thursday to Ride4Hugo in Memory of Hugo and Helen”

Do it Like Damian Lewis: HELP Raise Awareness for EB on Rare Disease Day!

Today is Rare Disease Day, a day to raise awareness about rare diseases and the impact they have on patients’ lives. The primary target of the campaign is the general public; however, it is very important to raise awareness among policy makers, researchers, health professionals and anyone who has an interest in rare diseases. And we would like to take this day to raise awareness as well as funds to find a cure for EB.

Well, most of you know Damian Lewis is a proud patron of Cure EB.

The kids that are born with Recessive Dystropic Epidermolysis Bullosa (RDEB) or EB for short lack the protein that holds their skin together. They have extremely fragile skin that they are sometimes called “butterfly children.” Lots of activities we take for granted as easy routines in our daily lives are a struggle for them. Can you imagine a day where your dressing up takes up to two hours and eating and drinking cause blisters in your mouth and throat? These kids have to deal with this kind of pain every single day. Besides, they are under extra risk to develop skin cancer later in life and their life expectancy is not very long. Continue reading “Do it Like Damian Lewis: HELP Raise Awareness for EB on Rare Disease Day!”

Do It Like Damian Lewis and Support “Coffee to Cure EB”

Most of you know that Damian Lewis is a proud patron of Cure EB. And Damian has taken to social media early this week to support this brilliant charity’s new campaign: Coffee to Cure EB.

Continue reading “Do It Like Damian Lewis and Support “Coffee to Cure EB””