Idris Elba

As a small charity working with disadvantaged young people in Hackney, Immediate Theatre had never had a Patron, so imagine our shock and delight when we received a call from Idris Elba saying that he wanted to get involved. As a Hackney boy himself, Idris was aware of the huge challenges facing young people, and the incredible difference that participation in the arts could make.

Despite his busy filming schedule, Idris has been a constant champion of our work. During the pandemic he made a personal donation to support our emergency response efforts and sent clothing from his fashion brand to give to our participants. Idris’ support has helped us to raise over £255,000, enabling us to extend our work to reach more young people. He nominated us to be one of five international charities benefitting from the proceeds of ‘Walk a Mile in My Shoes’, a special capsule collection designed by Idris, his wife Sabrina, and French fashion designer Christian Louboutin. We are lucky to be the only charity continuing to benefit from a second collection, launched in June 2022. Idris’ genuine interest in supporting young people and his commitment to making a change needs to be celebrated.