Benefit Street star White Dee has certainly come a long way since she shot to fame on Channel 4.
The 52-year-old is helping those in need with her raised profile, after getting herself off the breadline and no longer needing to rely on handouts from the state. The Birmingham resident has now opened a food bank and community hub for those struggling in the area.
She said: “The number of people living rough or who can’t afford to feed their children is spiralling out of control, so I knew I had to do something. A lot of the people we see here have hit on really hard times, but we’ve created a space where they won’t be judged and can get the supplies and help they need.
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“I do it because it’s in my heart and it’s how I was brought up – it’s the idea that nobody is better than anyone else. We’ve all been through tough periods in our lives.”
(Image: Channel 4)
Speaking to The Mirror, Dee went on: “We help them find places to live and sort out their benefits because there’s so much red tape. Officials so often fob people off, and that’s not right. We make sure people are supported.”
She explained that she’s been helping those sleep rough get showered and into clean clothes. And Dee has even found accommodation for those in need, including a woman who was kicked out of where she was living.
Dee left her home on James Turner Street after Benefit Street aired due to intrusion from fans and the media. People from as far as Russia were turning up to gawp.
(Image: Paul Marriott)
After the show, mum-of-two Dee prolonger her stardom with a stint on Celebrity Big Brother. She launched her new community hub with funding from the Lottery, but has been self-funding it with other volunteers since cash dried up in March.
But despite the struggle, Dee has no plans to pack it in. “My parents and my upbringing instilled in me to never change the person you are,” she added.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
