The coronavirus is still making its way across the world and, as it continues to spread, more damage is being dealt to our way of life. Thankfully, many are stepping up in the face of this crisis and doing their part to make change. This includes celebrities like Drew Brees, who recently announced that he would donate $5 million to help the pandemic relief in New Orleans. Now, actor James McAvoy has pledged a massive donation to help combat COVID-19.
McAvoy, who is best known for his roles in The Last King of Scotland and the X-Men films, is donating £275,000 ($342, 962 USD) to a crowdfunding campaign, reports The Guardian. The ultimate goal of the campaign is to raise money to purchase protective equipment for National Health Service workers.
The campaign’s original goal was to reach £200,000, but it’s since reached over £440,000 and is well on its way to £500,000. Dr. Salaj Masand, one of the doctors spearheading the campaign is overjoyed at the progress he and his team have made. While speaking to the trade, he had this to say:
We are overwhelmed and speechless at the trust and faith people have put into us to deliver this. The number of very generous donations from everyone doubled our target within three days.
He went on to call James McAvoy’s donation “mindblowing” and explained that it means 75,000 masks and 75,000 visors can now be ordered right away. McAvoy also spoke about the importance of worker safety in an Instagram post and encouraged others to donate to the cause. Check out the video below:
James McAvoy choosing to contribute to a worthy cause shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. In the past, he’s funded a 10-year scholarship at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and he’s also been a major supporter of the British Red Cross. He even performed a massive BASE jump from the world’s tallest hospital to raise funds for Retrack, a Ugandan charity that aims to help children.
Seeing celebrities contribute to the battle against the coronavirus has been very encouraging, and all are helping in different areas. As McAvoy and Brees are contributing to communities and health organizations, Ryan Reynolds is donating the proceeds of his Aviation Gin brand to out-of-work bartenders.
Other public figures have aimed to help by helping to spread awareness of COVID-19. Tom Hanks has helped lead the charge with others like Idris Elba and Debi Mazar following his lead.
It would appear that there’s still plenty of work to be done before this pandemic can finally come to an end. But thankfully, people are continuing to do what they can, as we seek to stick together during these trying times. Keep it here at CinemaBlend for more updates related to the pandemic.
