Actress and charity founder Juliet Stevenson CBE has slammed Donald Trump’s Muslim ban as she launched a charity drive to help refugees.
Ms Stevenson said of the US president’s executive order to ban Muslims from certain countries entering America: “The fact that he equates the refugee community with terrorism itself is offensive beyond belief. Who does he think the Syrians are fleeing for their lives from?
“The stupidity of this in the long term, apart from its cruelty, is just terrifying as it will generate so much more of a problem in the world, the direst kind of global conflicts, not least among different faiths.”
The star was speaking as she launched an online auction to raise vital funds for refugees forced from their homelands.
Highgate Has Heart (HHH) is holding a fundraising winter party on Saturday to support three refugee initiatives.
A host of exclusive prizes which includes theatre and football tickets, long weekends at home and abroad, a tour round the Channel 4 studio hosted by Jon Snow and acting tuition with Ms Stevenson are open to bids until 11pm on the night.
Those with their eye on an item can send a final bid price by email to help guard against a higher bid during the party.
Ms Stevenson, known for films such as Bend It Like Beckham and Truly Madly Deeply and Olivier award winning performances on stage, said: “The refugee situation has not gone away, it’s probably got worse.
“While Calais was on our doorstep people were hearing about refugees because we had them just a few miles away on the northern shores of France but since Calais was so brutally demolished it’s really gone off people’s radar.
“The issue has by no means gone away and this winter has been so cruel with terrible weather across Europe, refugees living in flimsy tents in deep snow and temperatures as low at 15 degrees below zero. Young men have died, children are hungry without adequate clothing.
“This is the situation going on and people on the ground here are trying to supply warm food and clothing and get to people before they get seriously ill, or in many cases die.”
HHH was launched last June in response to calls for action from people in the community “feeling powerless of how to help”.
All proceeds from the auction will be divided between the Islington Centre for Refugees, Help Refugees and Safe Passage.
She added: “We’re really hoping to raise some serious money for the refugees.”
To bid on the exclusive prizes go to 32auctions.com/HighgateHasHeart2017.
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