Film moves Winslet to start charity

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Film moves Winslet to start charity

(UKPA)

Kate Winslet has founded a charity to help people with autism after a

conversation with her daughter made her realise the daily difficulties they

face.

The -winning actress narrated the documentary A Mother's Courage: Talking

Back to Autism which tells of an Icelandic mother's fight to find a way for her

non-verbal 10-year-old son to communicate.

Winslet founded The Golden Hat Foundation after watching the film with her

nine-year-old daughter Mia.

" After watching the film A Mother's Courage with my daughter one day, she turned

to me and asked, 'What if I wasn't able to talk to you mummy?', " she said.

" As I thought about what that meant, for a mother not to be able to talk with

her own child, I realised that I had to lend my voice to raise awareness of this

rapidly increasing disorder. "

The non-profit organisation, named after a poem by Keli Thorsteinsson - the

young boy featured in the film, will aim to eliminate barriers for people with

autism around the world.

It plans to establish innovative living communities that offer the opportunity

to learn to communicate effectively, education, job training and recreational

activities, within a supportive social network.

The foundation is partnered with Virgin Unite, the non-profit foundation of Sir

Branson's Virgin Group, and donations can be made online at

www.goldenhatfoundation.org or www.virginunite.com/goldenhat.

Winslet, who last year won the best actress for The Reader, has two

children, daughter Mia and son Joe.

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