Simon Cowell pledges over £1m to help charities affected by coronavirus pandemic

Music mogul and TV talent judge Simon Cowell has pledged to donate £1.3million to help charities affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Cowell is a longterm advocate of numerous causes helping the less fortunate, one of which is Shooting Star Children’s Hospices, a charity which helps 800 families with young ones suffering from life-limiting conditions.

Writing for The Sun, Cowell details how such causes have been hugely affected by the spread of coronavirus, with measures undertaken to battle the condition having an impact on work charities can do to assist fundraising.

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He also explains how Shooting star has been forced to close one of its two hospices due to funding issues, as well as some of its high street charity shops which proves a big fund raiser for the organisation.

Cowell said: “This, of course, is an unnerving and scary time for everyone. This is a truly global crisis in every sense. But coronavirus isn’t just directly hurting people. It is also having a huge knock-on effect on thousands of small charities across the UK.

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“This crisis is already crippling vital work that so many of these charities do and in some cases the loss of funds and resources will mean that even when — we hope — we finally get through this, those organisations may never be able to recover.”

The 60-year-old has pledged £500,000 to help Shooting Stars, as well as donating $1m (£800,000) to split between charities Feeding Britain and Feeding America.

The star went on to say that while he doesn’t like “celebrities telling people what to do”, he hopes others in a privileged position can do similar, urging those with “resources available” to also do their part.

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“But there are still other people in business and in entertainment with resources available. So today it’s those people I’m urging to rise to this enormous challenge.”

The star also expressed his admiration and gratitude to NHS workers and first responders describing himself as “truly grateful”. He also says that without the effort of keyworkers “we would all be beaten”.

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices needs £10million a year to function - less than 10 percent of this figure comes from government funding, the rest usually coming from donations.

If you wish to donate, click here.