Katie Piper – ‘Kindness Is the Real Superpower’ | UK | News

Katie Piper built her life around helping others. The best-selling author, broadcaster and charity campaigner, who survived a brutal attack in 2008, says her passion for supporting vulnerable people stems from the kindness that carried her through her darkest days.

Speaking before hosting this year’s Variety Club Showbusiness Awards (Sunday, October 19), Ms Piper told how her experiences have shaped her mission to help those who are “different, disadvantaged or forgotten”.

“I’ve been met with a wave of kindness, even from people I don’t know,” he told the Sunday Express. “The NHS, charities, the British public have reached out and supported me. The more you come together, the stronger you are. Great things can be done.”

This year, Piper hosts the star-studded Variety Awards tonight for the first time, celebrating achievements in entertainment and raising funds for disabled or disadvantaged children. Honorees include England football captain Leah Williamson and legendary singer Petula Clark.

But it’s not the charm that drives the 42-year-old Piper, it’s the why. Earlier this week, Variety spent a day at Meadow High School in Uxbridge, one of many schools the charity supports.

“I can’t tell you enough, it was a wonderful day,” he said, brightening as he remembered the visit. “The kids were so kind, confident and fun.”

Students proudly showed him around one of the charity’s famous Sunshine Coaches; especially adapted buses that give disabled and disadvantaged children a ticket to freedom.

“They told me how the coach gives them access to the real world; they can go swimming, visit museums, have snacks on board. It’s not just a bus; it’s freedom, independence and normality. For some of the most disadvantaged children in society, it’s everything.”

Ms. Piper said the experience gave her a “real understanding” of what the Variety Awards are all about.

“When you see celebrities at night, you might think, ‘It’s not a big deal to pay for them,’ but for these kids, it means the world,” he said. “It’s a very fancy business night, but it’s for a really good cause at its core.”

He said hosting the event felt like “a big responsibility.” “I want to do justice to children and parents. Last year I was just a guest – I sat down with Simon Cowell, who received a lifetime achievement award. He is a friend and gracious patron of the Katie Piper Foundation. Simon gives so much more than people realize.”

Founded in 2009, the Katie Piper Foundation supports survivors of burns and disfigurements, helping them access rehabilitation and regain self-confidence. It’s part of a broader commitment to standing up for those on the margins of society, including its work in women’s prisons.

“I do workshops and volunteer inside,” she explained. “There’s no point in doing anything unless you personally show up, make meaningful change and have a lasting impact. Many women in prison have been victims of domestic violence. I’ve done confidence-building sessions, poetry classes, even park runs on the prison grounds.”

His work in prison began when inmates contacted him. “They named a wing after me,” he recalled. “I connected with these women whose lives had been impacted by men; they had interesting stories of hardship, but many had been victims before they were labeled as perpetrators.”

This connection inspired him to film a documentary for U&W called Locked Up in Louisiana; this documentary explored how female prisoners in the United States were often imprisoned out of self-defense. “It made me understand how trauma is repeated,” she said. “Victims can become perpetrators; it’s a cycle we need to break.”

Despite her struggles, Piper says she doesn’t see herself as a victim. “The events were 17 years ago,” he said. “I have a very busy life and children to think about. I don’t define myself that way; I meet so many people with different stories now.”

She said motherhood deepened her empathy. “I’m so lucky that my children are healthy; they’re seven and eleven now. Being a mother connects you to other children and families. You see how fragile life can be and how easily things can be different.”

He reasoned that the drive to help others might stem partly from nature and partly from nurture. “It’s hard to say whether this would have happened anyway or whether it was because of what I’ve been through. But I grew up in a small village; my mother was a teacher and the community looked after each other. Kindness was quite normal.”

He said that the same spirit still guides his life today. “After what happened to me, I learned that philanthropy isn’t just about money. It’s about time, energy, compassion, and using your own story to help others.”

As she prepares to take the stage at the Variety Awards, Ms. Piper hopes the sparkle of the night will turn into something much more powerful.

“These buses, these wheelchairs, these opportunities are not luxuries,” he said. “They are the lifeline. And if we can give even one child the freedom to be a part of the world, then it’s all worth it.”

The Variety Club Showbusiness Awards take place in London tonight and will raise funds for disabled and disadvantaged children across the UK.