A U.K. homelessness charity has cut ties with Sharon Osbourne after her apparent support for an upcoming anti-immigration rally sparked widespread backlash.
According to The Guardian, Centrepoint “has said it will cut ties with its celebrity ambassador Sharon Osbourne after she expressed support for a far-right rally being organised by Tommy Robinson.” The controversy stems from Osbourne’s response to a social media post promoting the “Unite the Kingdom” rally, where she commented: “See you at the march.”
As reported by Loudersound, the rally is being organized by Tommy Robinson (real name Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon) and is scheduled to take place on May 16 at Trafalgar Square in London, as noted by Consequence. In a video shared alongside the promotional post, Robinson claimed the date would mark the moment “Britain rises and reunites,” adding: “It’s the date the world hears our roar, and that we have had enough of migration and mass immigration and the oppression from a tyrannical government,” according to Metro.
Centrepoint also addressed Osbourne’s previous involvement with the organization, noting that her role was limited. The charity had recently worked with her on an Omaze fundraising campaign, which offered entries into a prize draw to win a £5 million home overlooking Lake Windermere along with £250,000 in cash. While acknowledging her contribution, a spokesperson emphasized that the partnership would not continue.
“While Sharon supported us on this campaign, for which she was referred to as an ambassador as is standard for Omaze prize draws, she is not an official ongoing ambassador of Centrepoint and we have no plans to work together in the future,” Centrepoint elaborated.
In a separate statement, the organization reiterated its stance more bluntly: “We have no plans to work together in the future.” It further stressed that “Political activity like this runs counter to our values and our long history of supporting young people regardless of their background, religion or ethnicity.
“If we want young people to thrive in this country then we need to ensure our society continues to allow them to live without fear and to access the opportunities they need to start education or work and leave homelessness behind.”
Despite the controversy, Centrepoint expressed gratitude for Osbourne’s involvement in the Omaze campaign, which successfully raised funds for the charity.
As of now, Osbourne has not publicly responded to Centrepoint’s decision.
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