The Duchess of Cambridge, Patron of Action on Addiction, attended the UK Premiere of ‘A Street Cat Named Bob’, in aid of Action on Addiction, at the Curzon Mayfair, London.
The Duchess of Cambridge met with the stars, cast and crew, and representatives from her charity Action on Addiction before the film starts. Action on Addiction brings help, hope and freedom to those living with addiction and those living with people who suffer problems of addiction. It is the UK’s only charity working across the addiction field in treatment, professional education to honours degree level, support for families and children, research, and campaigns.
A Street Cat Named Bob is based on the much-loved, international best-selling book. Starring Luke Treadaway (Unbroken, Clash of the Titans, Olivier Award Winner for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time) as James Bowen and with Bob as Bob, ‘A Street Cat Named Bob’ tells the moving and life-affirming true story of the unlikely friendship between a young homeless busker, James Bowen, and the stray ginger cat who changed his life. When James Bowen found an injured, ginger street cat curled up in the hallway of his sheltered accommodation, he had no idea just how much his life was about to change. James was living hand to mouth on the streets of London and the last thing he needed was a pet. Yet James couldn’t resist helping the strikingly intelligent tomcat, whom he quickly christened Bob. He slowly nursed Bob back to health and then sent the cat on his way, imagining he would never see him again. But Bob had other ideas. Soon the two were inseparable and their diverse, comic and occasionally dangerous adventures would transform both their lives, slowly healing the scars of each other’s troubled pasts.
Immediately before the premiere, The Duchess saw highlights of the Recovery Street Film Festival. The festival features inspiring films made by former addicts and their loved ones about life in recovery from addiction. The festival was established three years ago by a consortium of addiction charities including Action on Addiction. It tours venues around the UK and aims to raise awareness of addiction, change the public’s perception of it, and tackle the stigma surrounding the condition. The films provide real hope that people can, and do recover from addiction.
The Duchess heard about the creation of the festival and its aims, and watched the three prize-winning films from the previous three years. These are ‘Harry’s Story’, which explores addiction and its connection to mental health, ‘Understanding Mum’ which reflects on parental substance misuse, and ‘Hope Inside’ which discusses addiction and recovery in prison. The Duchess met the prize-winners and representatives from some of the charities involved in running the festival.
