One Direction’s Charitable Giving: At Last Some Positive Reporting


One Direction fans are used to seeing their favorite band in the press. Sadly, the vast majority of reporting on One Direction focuses on whom they may or may not be dating or on unfounded rumors that the members of One Direction cannot abide each other. There is an old saying in media circles that says “sex sells,” and where One Direction are concerned, that is certainly the case. It is a source of constant irritation to One Direction fans that any piece of tittle-tattle about the boys gets reported, while their good works barely rate a mention.

One Direction fans are well aware that Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Liam Payne, and Niall Horan do a huge amount for charities. The boys are patrons of numerous charities, and they are generous with both their time and their cash. Of course, where charitable giving is concerned, One Direction tread a fine line. They dare not talk too openly about their own giving lest, as would surely be the case, they are accused of using charity to boost their profile.

As a result, One Direction largely go about their charitable giving in a private and understated way. However, as all One Direction fans know, the boys are amongst the most charitable U.K. musicians. The Mirror reported last August that One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne hosted a Cinderella Ball at London’s Natural History Museum in support of the charity Believe In Magic. Tomlinson reportedly donated £2 million ($3 million) of his own cash to support the charity, which provides magical experiences for seriously ill children.

In January Sarah Hext whose family attended the ball, exclusively told The Inquisitr about the incredible lengths that Louis and One Direction went to in supporting her family both before and after her nine-year-old son Harvey passed away as a result of neuroblastoma. The story did not end there, Sarah recently launched a charity in memory of Harvey, and as we reported in The Inquisitr last week, Tomlinson and One Direction continue to show their support.

Now, let’s be realistic: the One Direction boys do not give to charity because they want to be recognized for doing so. One Direction and those who donate large sums to charity do so because they want to help those less fortunate than themselves. That said, wouldn’t the world be a nicer place if we were able to read stories about how One Direction’s generosity helped someone, rather than reading the latest gossip about who Harry Styles might be dating?

Billboard has today reported that One Direction made the top-ten of the U.K.’s celebrity charitable givers. Sir Elton John tops the list, having donated some $38 million. One Direction 10th on the list, having each donated over £1.1 million [$1.58 million].

If you needed proof that the mainstream media ignore “good news” stories about One Direction, the fact that Daily Mail have ignored any mention of One Direction’s charitable giving, focusing instead on a shocking story in which they claim that Louis Tomlinson went for a walk. The same outlet has told us in recent weeks that Louis went for a coffee, eat lunch, and even went to a grocery store.

To be fair, all of the major outlets ignore One Direction’s giving or give it just a passing mention, as do the BBC. It seems peculiar that so much of the media have sharpened their knives so far as One Direction are concerned. Here we have four young guys who were thrown together to form One Direction. It is clear that the members of One Direction know that they had an incredibly lucky break and went on to build fortunes as a result. One Direction have, however, used their good fortune to the benefit of others, so you have to wonder why so many media outlets have it in for them.

You do not have to be a fan of One Direction’s music to recognize their generosity and their kindness.

[Photo by Rich Fury/Invision/AP]

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