All the world has been a stage for Shakespearean actor Keith Bartlett – but now he is taking a break from his day job to raise £250,000 for an Argyll charity.
Mary’s Meals, which has its headquarters in the village of Dalmally, feeds more than one million hungry children all over the world.
Mr Bartlett recently performed with the Globe to Globe production of Hamlet, where a company from the Globe theatre performed Hamlet in every country in the world in just two years.
It was during this time that he was inspired to support Mary’s Meals after seeing the inequality wrought by poverty in many of the countries he visited.
Mary’s Meals provides a daily meal to more than 1.1 million children in their place of education in 12 different countries around the world.
Mr Bartlett has already kicked off his fundraising efforts, raising £10,000 from a commemorative book charting his journey around the world.
He swapped copies of Hamlet: The Greatest Theatre Tour on Earth for donations at the final night of the Globe to Globe tour for a suggested £10 donation.
The actor said: “The idea of Mary’s Meals seemed to have such a solid logic behind. Education is surely one of the best ways to try and help people out of poverty and to become self-sufficient. Having seen so many children emerging from impoverished households in immaculate school uniforms and walking miles to school, it was obvious to me how high a priority education is to many from deprived backgrounds.”
To find out more about Mary’s Meals, or to donate, visit www.marysmeals.org.uk
