LONDON, England — The guys of One Direction are well known for their charitable efforts and how they make it a habit to give back to the world and those less fortunate. One Direction’s charity work is diverse and far-reaching. The group goes beyond each individual member and mobilizes its fanbase to help as well.
One Direction’s Charity Work
- Louis Tomlinson is an ambassador of the Eden Dora Trust, which raises money for chronically ill children. He put together the Believe in Magic Cinderella Ball for children that were terminally ill. He’s always been a big lover of babies and children and has put that love into his charitable efforts. Since introducing the fandom to the Eden Dora Trust, it’s been one of the main charities for which his fanbase hosts charity drives.
- Liam Payne is an ambassador for Trekstock, an organization that supports young adults suffering from cancer. Payne has also had his own events outside of Trekstock. He worked with Unicef where he and a group of other celebrities raised money for Unicef U.K.’s Children in Danger. He’s also backed and made a contribution to the Youth Zone, which is a nonprofit in his hometown of Wolverhampton.
- Niall Horan is an ambassador for Irish Autism Action, which is dedicated to offering support to families with autistic children. Horan has contributed to Irish Autism Action through hosting a 2014 football match that raised about £300,000. He also released a limited-edition T-shirt in 2016. He donated the proceeds of the T-shirt to Irish Autism Action. In addition to those causes, he also created the Horan and Rose Gala with his friend Justin Rose. The Gala raises money for Cancer research for U.K. kids and teens.
- Harry Styles has shown support for HeforShe to encourage men to fight for gender equality. Styles has supported many charities including Little Princess Trust, which supplies young children suffering from cancer with human hair wigs. Styles cut his famous locks and donated them. He’s also known for his advocacy of the LGBT+ community. He’s waved rainbow flag onstage numerous times and created a slogan and T-shirt in 2018 “Treat People With Kindness.” That slogan has become something of his trademark by the fandom.
- Zayn Malik joined the other boys in their charitable efforts for Comic Relief while part of the group. When the group visited Ghana, Malik was visibly shaken and emotional. He was seen crying in sympathy and empathy for the children and people who are less fortunate. Malik has supported The British Asian Trust, which helps communities in South Asia. He’s not only contributed to charities but he’s also expressed support for Palestine in 2014 with his now-famous #FreePalestine tweet.
These young men are dedicated to making changes in the world and wanting better for those who are less fortunate than they are. This is also something that can be seen in the fandom at large where many charitable movements are made all the time. It’s astounding how quickly One Direction’s charity work has influenced fans to mobilize and produce results.
Mobilizing the Fanbase
One of the most known charities in the fandom is 1DFansgive, which dedicates charity drives as birthday gifts in their honor for each of the guy’s birthdays. It’s a way to honor each member of the group on their special day while also letting them know that their good deeds inspire the fandom to give a little and love a lot. 1DFansgive has raised an enormous amount of funds for various charities over the years. One charity drive for Louis Tomlinson’s birthday reached more than $16,000.
Another fandom project dedicated to offering support is Rainbow Direction. Rainbow Direction is a fan run support organization that helps set up concert projects to support the LGBTQ fans at shows. It’s a way for LGBTQ fans to feel safe and supported at concerts where often they might be alone or might feel safer being around other members of the community. The guys have acknowledged and even held rainbow flags during their shows in support of this movement.
Through being an example, celebrities are able to inspire their large fanbases to give in the same way and really make changes. It’s a testament to how genuinely good and pure-hearted these men are that they can encourage and inspire people to mobilize in such a way. Many celebrities have their charitable efforts and many encourage others to do the same. One Direction’s charity work has managed to help and inspire so many at the same time.
– April Prince
Photo: Flickr