Olivia Colman CBE
UNICEF UK President
“I was fortunate enough to see some of the humanitarian kits that are being sent to countries such as Ukraine, Afghanistan and Somalia – where children are facing war, drought and unrest on an unimaginable scale. These education and development kits, medical kits and midwifery kits allow UNICEF to support the most vulnerable children and families, wherever they are”
Olivia reflects after her visit to our Global Supply and Logistics Hub in Copenhagen. During the visit Olivia helped to pack supplies due to be sent to children and families in Ukraine, adding items to the UNICEF Early Child Development kit filled with puzzles, puppets, balls and games – including a hand-written message from her. These kits provide a range of activities to encourage the development and social interaction of children and help aid the recovery of children who have witnessed the horrors of the war in Ukraine, allowing them to play and learn in a safe environment.
Olivia also saw the UNICEF School-in-a-Box, Recreation Kit and Family Hygiene Kit, all of which have been shipped to Ukraine since the outbreak of the war in February this year. The Family Hygiene Kits provide water, sanitation and hygiene necessities needed during an emergency, and include items such as a torch, child potty, water purification tablets, menstrual pads and soap.
Olivia’s work with us
2015 – Olivia first became involved with us when she joined our New Year’s Eve campaign for children affected by the conflict in Syria.
2017 – Olivia visited a UNICEF UK Rights Respecting School to learn how we are working with schools in the UK to help children to thrive and become responsible, active citizens. Rights Respecting Schools put in place a set of standards based on equality, dignity, respect, non-discrimination and participation to let children’s natural curiosity for the world and empathy for others flourish.
2018 – Olivia fronts our Radio 4 appeal to raise funds for UNICEF UK’s Children Emergency Fund. In the same year she supported our campaign to reunite refugee families, putting pressure on the UK Government to change the rules that allow refugee children to reunite with their close family already living in the UK.
2018 – Olivia lent her voice to Matt Haig’s ‘The Truth Pixie’, in a special edition audiobook of his top 5 children’s bestseller. As per the direct request of Olivia and Matt, 50p from the sale of each audiobook comes to UNICEF UK.
2020 – After a number of years as a UNICEF UK Ambassador, she became UNICEF UK’s President in 2020.
2021 – Olivia attends and speaks at our 75th anniversary Blue Moon Gala
2022 – Olivia visits our Global Supply and Logistics Hub in Copenhagen
Over the years Olivia has also fronted a number of appeal films for Soccer Aid for UNICEF and emergency appeals including for Yemen and Syria.
