Hollywood actor Jeremy Irons becomes Restore’s patron

Hollywood actor and local resident Jeremy Irons has become a patron of Restore
after supporting the charity to raise a record-breaking £29,771 at an auction that he
hosted.

Restore is an Oxfordshire mental health charity, working with people with mental ill health.
We see a breakthrough in one of our members almost every day – when someone finds a
job thanks to our coaching, when they discover a strength they never knew they had in the
Oxfordshire Recovery College, or when they realise that they have learned a skill in one of
our six groups in Oxford, Banbury, and Didcot. Last year we supported 967 people with
coaching and mental health recovery, and our training and employment coaching makes
recovery a reality for service users – the people we proudly call our members. Last year
we supported 93 member to find or stay in paid work, and 37 to begin volunteering. We
are the current winner of The Oxford Times Charity and Community Award.

Oscar-winning actor Jeremy Irons has a long and illustrious career in film, television and
theatre. He trained at the Old Vic Theatre School in Bristol, first performed on stage in
1969, and has appeared in numerous productions in the West End of London and on
Broadway, winning a Tony Award for Best Actor for his role in The Real Thing. His
performance in TV series Brideshead Revisited resulted in his first Golden Globe Award
for Best Actor and he won a further Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and an Emmy
Award for his performance in Elizabeth I. His film credits include Kafka, Dead Ringers,
Lolita, The Man in the Iron Mask, The Lion King, and Die Hard with a Vengeance.

Restore’s Chief Executive Lesley Dewhurst said, “We’re thrilled that a giant of stage and
screen for so many years is supporting Restore. Jeremy has visited three of Restore’s six
groups, spent significant time with service users, and hosted our auction in February that
helped to raise so much money for mental health recovery. With the latest data showing a
big rise in Oxfordshire adults with mental ill health, Restore is determined to do everything
that we can to support those who needs help, and it’s great to have Jeremy’s help.”

Jeremy Irons said, “I’m delighted to be supporting Restore as the charity’s newest patron.
After hosting their Auction of Promises, meeting service users and staff, and touring their
facilities I found myself mightily impressed. Restore inspired me; it moved me. The charity
may be small, but it provides a wonderful service to the people who most need it. I hope to
use my role to get to know Restore even better as they support service users, and tackle
the mental health stigma in our communities. Together we can support more people as
they recover, and create a stigma-free Oxfordshire.”