Young
Emmerdale star Alfie Clarke, who plays Ashley and Laurel Thomas’ son Arthur in
the soap, is raising money for the Alzheimer’s Society by doing a sponsored
swim of up to 40 lengths after playing a huge part in the show’s emotional
dementia storyline.
The 9-year-old star has been delivering agonising performances as
Ashley’s young son, breaking the hearts of viewers as he maturely deals with
his father’s condition. In scenes broadcast last year, he left viewers
devastated when he asked Ashley if he would forget him.
He is just as fantastic in Ashley’s final episode, which Metro.co.uk
were invited to watch and he has become so involved with the subject matter
that he is now determined to raise funds for the good cause through his
sponsored swim.
He is already on the way to smashing the £700.00 mark and his sponsor
page reads: ‘I play Arthur Thomas in Emmerdale and I’ve been involved with the
story line around the Thomas Family dealing with Ashley’s dementia. I would
like to promote and raise money for Alzheimer’s Society.
‘On Saturday the 29th of April 2017 @ 10am, I’m going to swim between
20-40 lengths and would really appreciate it if you would sponsor me to support
people suffering with dementia.’
Enthusing about her on screen son, Charlotte Bellamy told us:
‘Little Alfie is just extraordinary. He’s been in the show since he was two and
a half and he’s come on so much. The way he handled that last scene where he
saw John – who did obviously look dead and he has a real relationship with John
– that was very hard for him but he did it so well.’
A spokesperson for the Alzheimer’s Society, Kathryn Smith, who attended
the press conference, added: ‘His mum has been in contact with us because he is
looking to do a sponsored swim for Alzheimer’s. He wants to also train to be a
dementia friend himself and take that into his school. he and his mum both told
me that he is now preaching to the family on dementia – I’ve only met him once
but he really is quite a character and an amazing lad.’
John Middleton, who plays Ashley, revealed that he will be staying in
touch with Alfie and continued: ‘He’s a real credit to his mum and dad – he’s
incredibly well brought up and he’s a lovely, lovely lad. None of this has gone
to his head and it can do as a child. Rosie Bentham, who plays Gabby, is the
same – she’s a lovely young woman. The pair of them – I’m so proud of how they
have come on as actors. They’ve developed so brilliantly.
‘Little Alfie sometimes just says “do you want us to ad-lib” and we’ll
say “yes, go for it” and so he does and we think “bloody hell, I wish we’d
written this down!” He’s really good, he’s a natural and instinctive actor and
he really listens too. Most children just work on the line – you watch his
reactions though to when others are acting, they’re just magical.’
Adding to the anecdotes, producer Iain MacLeod recalled: ‘At one point
he just came out with “I think I want to be an actor!” He’s been doing a
flipping good job with that anyway without having even decided to do it but I
just found it really endearing how he is knocking everyone’s socks off and he
is only really now deciding that he is actually quite good at this and might
pursue it as a career!’
SOURCE: Duncan Lindsay, Metro.co.uk
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