Celebrity supporters of Sense

Known simply as “the Godfather of Bollywood” Amitabh Bachchan became acutely aware of deafblind issues when he starred in the award-winning Indian film Black, in which he plays the tutor of a deaf and blind girl.

Superstar of both Bollywood and Hollywood, this former Miss India accompanied her father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan to the Sense Rodney Clark Centre in Leeds.

Acclaimed actress Stephanie Beacham has a very personal reason for supporting Sense. Not only is she herself partially deaf, her late father was deafblind. That’s why she became involved in launching Sense’s older persons’ campaign Fill in the Gaps. She attended a parliamentary launch of the campaign in June 2006.

Long time supporter Richard Wilson first became involved with Sense when he voiced a radio commercial for the charity which aired on BBC Radio 4.

Staff at Sense were thrilled when the award winning actor took time from his busy schedule in June 2007 to host the Annual Sense Awards. The awards honour excellence in both deafblind people and those who work alongside them.

Glamour girl and pop star Samantha Fox lent her support to Sense by opening the Celebrities Strip It Off charity shop. The shop auctioned off many items of clothes belonging to celebrity A-listers and Sam very kindly donated her favourite bra to raise hundreds of pounds for Sense.

Sense was honoured when the BBC's top political presenter, Andrew Marr helped to launch a vital fundraising appeal which enables deafblind children to enjoy essential, fully supported holidays. It also gives their parents much needed respite.

The host of Sunday AM has personal experience with deafblindness - his father-in-law, Lord Ashley who is deaf, was instrumental in getting the Deafblind Bill passed through Parliament.

Richard Briers helped to launch Sense's older person’s campaign – Fill In The Gaps.

Dedicated Dickens aficionado Miriam Margolyes was the host at the first ever Sense Creative Writing Awards. The festive event was held at the Dickens Museum in London in December 2006. Miriam read aloud from a number of works written by talented deafblind people.

Cilla Black has helped raise vital funds and awareness through voicing radio adverts for Sense. Her most recent one was for Sense's older person’s campaign, Fill in the Gaps.

BBC business journalist Paddy O'Connell was the VIP Quizmaster at the Sense Corporate Development Board Quiz in July 2007. The host of Radio 4’s Broadcasting House and presenter of Working Lunch, raised thousands of pounds for Sense when eager business people bid to have him sit at their table.

Former England football coach Graham Taylor is one of Sense’s most loyal and determined supporters.

Not only did he undertake the huge task of running the Flora London Marathon for us in 2004, he has worked tirelessly ever since to raise both funds and awareness.

He is now Celebrity Ambassador for our Sense Enterprise Board in Birmingham.

Sense was delighted when Alex James, Blur guitarist-turned-cheesemaker and farmer accepted our invitation to host the Corporate Cheese and Wine event with TV wine expert Olly Smith.

Claire Rayner has a very personal reason for supporting Sense's Older Person campaign. Claire wears hearing aids in both ears and also has a condition called Age Related Dry Macular Degeneration - a sight loss common in older people. Claire helped Sense to promote The Good Life booklet which is full of useful tips on how to cope with sight and hearing loss in older age.

Claire says, "As we all live longer, more and more of us will lose sight and hearing, some lose both - we need our GPs to be mindful of signs of combined sensory loss so that older people have support and don’t become isolated."

Jay Rayner, author and journalist is the son of Claire Rayner who is also on this list of our celebrity supporters. He is supporting the campaign for older people with sensory loss as he wants people to be aware that their older relatives may be affected by sight and hearing loss.

Top TV wine expert Olly Smith recently hosted the Corporate Cheese and Wine Event for Sense, along with Alex James, Blur guitarist-turned-cheesemaker.

Special mention: Hasn't given direct public support to Sense, but has bought from a Sense Shop.