X-Men star James McAvoy has donated £275,000 to help buy PPE for NHS staff.
McAvoy donated the money to a crowdfunding campaign, #Masks4NHSHeroes set up by a group of doctors to help raise money to buy PPE (personal protective equipment) for staff treating coronavirus patients.
The campaign, which has so far raised £440,000, was set up to raise money for items such as masks, gloves and visors because medics felt they were “going to war without armour and protection.”
In a video on Instagram, McAvoy said: “Money donated today will save lives…Help us to help the government to help the NHS.”
He added: “The situation is truly urgent and time is of the essence.” You can donate to the campaign here.
Speaking to The Guardian, one of the medics who helped to set up the campaign, Dr Salaj Masand, said: “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 described McAvoy’s donations as “mind-blowing” and said it would mean 75,000 masks and visors could be ordered immediately instead of waiting whilst donations came through.
He added: “This is a global catastrophic event and an extremely tough time for governments across world, no different from ours. There is a worldwide shortage of PPE [that’s] likely to go on for months.
“The government is doing all it can but the NHS needs all the help it can get. We are also competing with the commercial market who are trying to sell the same PPE for extraordinary prices.”
Stars from music, television and film continue to donate funds to assist with the ongoing virus crisis. Earlier this week, it was announced that George Harrison’s Material World Foundation donated $500,000 to a series of charities providing much needed aid and care during this coronavirus pandemic.
The foundation set up by the Beatles singer-songwriter in 1973 announced on Thursday (March 26) that it donated funds to the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund, Save the Children, and Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders).
Tom Hardy also took to social media this week (March 27) to praise the NHS for their work during the coronavirus outbreak.
The Mad Max: Fury Road actor shared a graphic on Instagram this morning (March 27) that read: “THANKYOU Every member of the NHS.” Also displaying the NHS website address, the graphic’s text concluded with: “YOU ARE BRILLIANT.”
Last week, Rihanna reportedly offered $5 million to help impoverished countries affected by the coronavirus, with $700,000 worth of ventilators also going to her home country of Barbados.
According to TMZ, Rihanna will make the donation through her Clara Lionel Foundation. The money will also be used to support local food banks, purchase medical equipment for doctors and nurses on the frontlines, and provide testing in poor nations such as Haiti and Malawi.
