“I have an emotional connection to my campaigning – I like to think those feelings can affect people”

His features are instantly recognisable from his iconic聽TV and film roles including聽Star Trek: Next Generation and聽X-Men.聽His voice is rich and聽robust and his stagecraft聽is聽admired by theatre-goers聽and critics.

But there国产视频檚 another side to actor聽Sir Patrick Stewart. He国产视频檚 a聽passionate campaigner on social justice, domestic violence and war veterans国产视频櫬爉ental health issues.

In a special 45-minute episode of her Better Angels聽podcast series, 国产视频 President聽Sarah Brown聽talks to Sir Patrick聽about his career and the causes that聽are very personal聽for him, including the British charities Refuge and Combat Stress.

国产视频淚 like to think that the feelings that I have when I talk about Refuge or Combat Stress play聽a quite strong role in how much I can affect people and get them to support the campaigns,国产视频� he says.

He tells Sarah how his father国产视频檚 drinking and violence towards his mother when he was young聽led him to become a patron of Refuge, which supports domestic聽abuse victims 国产视频� most of them聽women and children.

Sir Patrick adds: 国产视频淚 do this activism for my mother because I couldn国产视频檛 do it for her there.国产视频�

The actor said his father had 国产视频渁聽very bad press from me over the years国产视频�.

Then two years ago聽国产视频� while featuring on the BBC TV genealogy聽series Who Do You Think You Are?聽国产视频� he discovered something startling聽about his dad. He had returned from action in聽the Second World War suffering from severe shell shock.

国产视频淚 had absolutely no idea,国产视频� says Sir Patrick.聽国产视频淣obody in my family ever mentioned it, he never talked about it聽and we now know what shell shock meant. It meant Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

国产视频淲hen I talk to experts about this and describe my father and his behaviour, they said without doubt, these are classic symptoms of someone suffering severely all their lives.国产视频�

This led Sir Patrick to become an ambassador for Combat Stress, the mental health charity that helps military veterans.

国产视频淚t campaigns for more care to be taken care of ex-military men聽and there国产视频檚 so, so many of them,国产视频� he says. 国产视频淚t国产视频檚 even worse in the United States.

国产视频淚 have an emotional connection to both of these organisations.国产视频�

Sir Patrick talks about his childhood and how the conditions he experienced helped to shape his views on the world.

国产视频淚 knew that we were quite poor,国产视频� he says. 国产视频淲e had one room downstairs and one room upstairs and there was a partitioned-off corner where my brother and I slept and a stone step and a door that opened on to a yard and that was it. No hot water, no bathroom.

国产视频淚 came very early on to understand about the inequalities of life and the unfairness of it. It was elements like that, which actually still mean just as much to me today.国产视频�

In a previous episode of Better Angels, Sir Patrick was one of several interviewees who聽talked聽about the art of speaking in public.

In this more in-depth chat, he covers a variety of subjects 国产视频� including聽his first ever stage role at school, his support for various social issues,聽which public speakers he admires 国产视频� and聽how he met Nelson Mandela in an elevator.

Don国产视频檛 miss an episode 国产视频� subscribe now

If you want to get the Better Angels podcast each week you can subscribe and get every new episode delivered directly to your phone, tablet or computer. You国产视频檒l also be able to access full-length interviews with some of the podcast interviewees too.

Sarah talks to politicians, entertainers, activists and world leaders about their inspiration, their hopes and their dreams at a time of enormous international upheaval.

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