Snapshot: Fearne Cotton
Tuesday 04 March 2008
"This picture was taken in India just before Christmas last year, and it was a day I’ll never forget. I was on a trip there as an ambassador with the charity World Vision and we called into this little pre-school place, which was pretty much just a shed on the side of the road in Chennai. I ended up in fits of laughter because the children kept repeating everything I said, and then we’d all collapse in giggles. Some of the kids had been living on the streets when they were rescued, others had only one parent or had been orphaned, and all of them lived in awful conditions. For many of them, the only meal they ate each day was provided by the school.
Despite all this, they were such fun – always laughing and smiling. They were so happy when we arrived laden with colouring books and pencils. There was one little boy who suffered from club feet – you can see him in this photo – and everywhere I went in India, I saw kids with terrible deformities and health problems. There’s no way they’ll ever get treatment either, because their families can’t afford it or they’re too far from a hospital. It’s heartbreaking.
Visiting India was an eye- opener and there were times when I’d get back to my hotel and feel shattered because the poverty is so overwhelming. But the work that World Vision does is incredible and they’re making a huge difference. It certainly made me come home to London and think about how silly my showbiz lifestyle is – it’s all just a game really. I love it, and it’s great fun, but it’s not serious.
World Vision’s official famine weekend takes place 14-16 March. Get your registration and sponsorship pack for the 24 Hour Famine at www.24hourfamine.org.uk, or call the World Vision hotline on 01908 841212.