Florence Pugh wants to have time to make a difference
Race Against Dementia ambassador Florence Pugh doesn't think it is "helpful" for celebrities to back good causes when they can't commit their time to make a real difference.
Florence Pugh doesn't think it is "helpful" for celebrities to back good causes when they can't commit their time to make a real difference.
The 'Oppenheimer' actress has been happy to promote various charitable initiatives on her social media accounts but has been looking for something she could get involved with in a "bigger" way in order to truly make an impact.
She told the Daily Telegraph newspaper: "You’re always asked if you can help out in any way, and for a few years I’ve definitely done my part in the ways that I can on social media, for many little things.
“I wanted to lend my voice in a bigger way to something that I could have the proper time to do, because it’s all very well lending yourself to it but if you don’t actually have time to be there and help, then it’s not very helpful.”
The 28-year-old actress became an ambassador for Race Against Dementia last year amid the Hollywood strikes.
She said: “It’s hugely rare to be that available, so it was amazing to have something I could be getting on with and work on something positive.”
But Florence - who was introduced to the charity via a friend who works closely with them - admitted she knew "barely anything" about dementia and doesn't want people to think she is an "expert".
She said: “The first thing people always ask is, ‘So what’s your personal connection to dementia?’ But I find it quite interesting that I don’t have one? I don’t have anybody in my life living with it, but I do have people in my life that are living around it, and I’m very aware that it’s something that’s not just a disease to the person, it’s a disease to the family, and there’s so little information that’s commonly known...
“I am in no way saying I am an expert, I do not want people to think that. I think it can be so confusing in this era, when everybody is an ‘expert’ on everything and everybody has an article to share on Instagram… While that’s equally important, it’s also important to let people know we are also learning, and it’s OK to not know. That’s definitely my angle in this.”
The 'Fighting With My Family' actress has already raised over £20,000 via her 'Cooking with Flo' Instagram Live programme and through her Florence Pugh Race Against Dementia Team fundraiser, she aims to raise £750,000 to fund the work of a group of elite dementia researchers for five years.
But she insisted the partnership with the charity will be for the long term.
She said: “I should hope so. I don’t see why relationships with a charity that you’re invested in should end,” Pugh says.
