John McCarthy short listed as celebrity charity champion in industry awards

John McCarthy has been recognised for his invaluable support of the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture in Britain's Most Admired Charities awards.

John, who became a patron of the MF in 1992 shortly after he was released from captivity in Beirut, was named as runner-up in the Celebrity Charity Champion category of the awards, organised by the fundraising industry's Third Sector magazine.

The author and broadcaster was nominated in recognition of his dedication to helping raise the charity's profile through the media and by regularly speaking at fundraising events held by the MF and its supporters.

On being told of his nomination, he told Third Sector: "I'm flattered and humbled, because there are plenty of people who have done much more for the cause and for the Foundation itself. The positive thing in any award like this is that it is another opportunity to get publicity for the charity and the crucial work it does."

John's involvement with the MF began shortly after he returned to the UK following five years of being incarcerated in Beirut, where he was kidnapped in 1986 and where he was held with fellow hostage and MF patron, Brian Keenan.

"When I was first introduced to the work of this unique charity it gave me a great sense of relief to learn that torture did not have to be the end of all hope," he said.

"When I came back from Beirut, people would come up to me in the street and say 'welcome home'. It's very different for the clients of the Medical Foundation - they haven't come home, they've been forced into exile.

"I had all sorts of support handed to me on a plate. Most asylum seekers don't. That's why the Medical Foundation is important. They have counsellors to sit down and talk with people to help them come to terms with what happened to them. They also provide medical care to help people get over the physical stresses and strains of torture, as well as practical, legal advice.

"I decided quite early on to focus mainly on one charity. Lots of people were asking me to help them support different causes, so there was an element of self-preservation. And I felt that if I became involved in the Medical Foundation, I would use my personal experience. I could say: ‘Look, this is what happened to me - imagine what it's like for others whose experience is much worse than mine?'".