Stars come out to support youth campaign

The United Nations’ International Youth Day is marked every year on August 12 to encourage governments to improve the lives of children around the world. To mark the occasion, we asked some of our celebrity supporters to answer the following question:

Who is the person that first recognised your talents and helped you become the success you are today?

Dame Kelly Holmes

My PE teacher Debbie Paige who recognised my ability to run and then encouraged me to join an athletics club.

Shobna Gulati

My mum encouraged me and took me to my first dance performance and got me really interested in Indian dance.

At the point when I wanted to turn it into a career she said ‘go ahead’ and I couldn’t have asked for a more supportive parent.

Miriam Stoppard

I had never thought of myself as being at all clever and was shocked one day when Miss Herdman said to the class “You see those beans over there sprouting in a jar and there’s one that’s so much further on than the rest. Well that one’s Miriam.” I was really very shocked.

She encouraged me to apply for a scholarship to the best school in Newcastle (at which she had been a pupil herself) and she also taught me how to speak properly which was invaluable for a Geordie lass. I was devoted to her.

As a junior doctor I was one of the herd working ninety hours a week and trying to survive. I had no thought of pursuing a career in academic medicine until one day Professor Ingram said to me that I should have a go at getting “the membership”.

The membership is MRCP – Member of the Royal College of Physicians. It’s the holy grail of medicine. The pass rate is 5% but anyone who wants to go on to specialise, must have the MRCP as a first step. It’s a post graduate training in medicine and to this day it stands me in good stead.

Professor Ingram encouraged me every step of the way even when I failed it twice. After the first time when I was very crestfallen he said to me: “Don’t worry, no-one would speak to you if you got it first time” and this encouraged me to go on until I got it – third time.

Clare Holman

Lynne Hedges, who ran the gymnastics club at Crystal Palace Sports centre. I started when I was about 8 years old and I slowly progressed to an elite group within the building and then went on to represent South East England.

At the time my mother was a single parent and we had a large family. I was sharing a room with my sister and my mother was also fostering children, so we were a large, rambling family with little money.

Eventually my bedroom became the caravan in the garden, this seems odd but to me it was heaven, some space to myself.

Lynne Hedges was a kind and very encouraging gymnastics coach. At the time I lacked self discipline, she taught me that in spades.

She was always encouraging and she created a smaller family for me, one that was made up of about eight girls and she trained us very hard. I loved having something that was just mine, and for once not having to share everything but more than that she gave me such confidence in my abilities.

School was fine but at the time we had lots of supply teachers so continuity was in short supply. Lynne gave me continuity, an alternative family and she nurtured each one of the girls whilst being tough and firm, but always pushing us to do the best we could and looking after us, if we fell or failed.

They were some of the happiest times of my childhood. The sense of purpose and camaraderie was invaluable. We also learnt to coach the younger girls so we learnt to give back and enjoy that position.

I am sure without that time with Lynne I would not have gone on to do the work I am doing. The competition in acting is reflected in sport, the self discipline and the principle of never giving up has stuck with me and helped me enormously, and the sense of community working both individually and as a team.

Zaraah Abrahams

My head teacher Anne Sheward first spotted me at Saturday dance school and heavily encouraged me to audition for Italia Conti full time. Until then performing had just always been a fantastic hobby that my mum had encouraged as it made me happy, but Anne’s enthusiasm really helped me to believe in myself.

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett I think are great role models... To me they represent wholesome togetherness, with great morals which I think is positivity that we need. Will Smith to me represents a great journey, and I'd love to have mine documented in the way he has. Going from strength to strength in all his projects which then shows such reflection in his personality.

John Michie

I started as a stage hand and didn't go to drama school, but it was at the Donovan Maule Theatre in Nairobi where I really learnt the craft from James Ward. He was responsible for kick-starting my career by giving me the confidence to believe in myself and to play lead roles.

I suppose the person that influenced me the most as a young actor is Richard Wilson. I learnt from him how to stop 'acting' and start 'being,' which is of course impossible but what you have to aim for as an actor.

Politically, I would say Ghandi and his philosophy of non-violence. I always think of his quote 'Be the change you want to see in the world' as inspirational and something I try to follow. Mandela of course, continues Ghandi's work.