Zambia-born Marsh is supporting Vodafone’s World of Difference programme, which offers anyone over 18 the chance to work for a UK-registered charity for two months – and will pay each selected charity £2,500 to cover the National Insurance and tax contributions for the placement.
“Many young graduates are struggling to find jobs at the moment. Here is an opportunity for them to go out and get involved with the local community,” says Marsh, who owns 15 properties across the UK, Spain and Africa.
Following a stint as an air hostess in Zambia, Marsh moved to the UK in 2002. “I’d always associated this country with opportunity,” she says. “It wasn’t until I filmed Secret Millionaire in Liverpool that I was exposed to the levels of poverty here. In Zambia, people are poor but they are not depressed. There’s a wonderful community spirit. You don’t have that here. People turn to anti-depressants, they’re lonely.”
March’s own experience of helping charities – including an after-school club in Liverpool’s Toxteth and Dingle Community Learning Programme – has fired her up to do more. “I know from personal experience just how beneficial the advice of an entrepreneur can be to charities,” she says.
The application deadline for World of Difference is November 3, 2009. Click here for more details.
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