TV star Tim Healy grew up in the Benwell area of Newcastle in the 1960's and had what he described as a "normal but happy childhood."
And having always stayed true to his roots, Tim is passionate about helping the youth of the North East. He has teamed up with Children North East and told ChronicleLive about their importance this Christmas.
He also reminisced about his childhood in the city. "I lived at the bottom of Colson Street. My family had a shop and we lived in the upstairs flat in that building. It was a wonderful community and everyone who lived in the area either worked in the mines or the shipyard," he said. "It wasn't a rich place, sometimes a wagon would come and dump half a ton of coal and we'd collect it to keep us warm.
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"Our school was right next door and in those days primary, middle and high school were all in the same building so we had it alright. I remember seeing a colour TV for the first time when I was 14-15 years old and it blew my mind. I think kids these days have a lot more pressure on them than we did", he added.
Children North East's aim is to deliver services, support and initiatives that provide a platform for children, young people and families to work through issues, take action and provide them with the tools to reach their full potential. These include therapeutic services, mental health support, youth work, family support, domestic abuse services, community-based support and consultations with young people.
Tim got involved with the charity after seeing the work that they do to look after children in his area.
"They are a fantastic charity that really care for a community that I am so passionate about. They don't just help young people, as important as that is, but they also help parents to develop their parenting skills so that they can help their children if they are struggling with mental health issues", he said.
Tim is of course a father himself and he has worked hard throughout his acting career to provide a good life for his two sons. Both Matthew, lead singer of The 1975, and actor Louis have paved their own way in the entertainment industry, following in their fathers footsteps. Tim talked about how his own experiences as a parent encouraged him to work with Children North East even more.
"I believe that life is about handing down experience to your children. The most important thing to me was knowing that my parents loved me and a lot of the young people that Children North East help don't even have that. The charity gives them fantastic emotional and physical support by listening to what they have to say", he said.
From speaking to Tim, it was clear to see that he did not want the focus to be on him but for the charity themselves to get as much attention as possible. It was for this reason that Tim worked with County Durham radio host Judie McCourt to create a short film to showcase the work they do. The film, in collaboration with The People's Postcode Lottery, will be released on the 28th of December.
"I am purely there to support the charity and to be a figurehead for them. People in the North East know me and if me turning up to events allows them to help more children then that's amazing. This is an organisation that I believe in and I couldn't be happier to be working with them."
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