An online auction of photographs of the much-loved actor is raising funds for The Helen McCrory award, run by Kentish Town charity HvH Arts.
She was an enthusiastic patron ever since it was founded in 2013 to provide five to 18-year-olds with inspiring spaces to develop their talents – whether in acting, music, photography or fashion.
The award was created following her death in 2021 at the age of 52 and is handed out to gifted but disadvantaged young people who don’t have the finances or access to train in their chosen field.
Founder and CEO Debbi Clark, who was a close friend of the actor, said: “Helen believed passionately in the power of the arts and that they should be accessible to every child.
“There’s so much raw talent in Kentish Town, but there’s a difference between following your dream and being able to access your dream – it’s really hard for kids from underprivileged backgrounds to afford to study or get access to training so those careers remain primarily the domain of the privileged.”
She added: “We started the award in her honour in 2022 and so far it has helped pay for grants, equipment, college fees and tuition.
“Many of these children have been with us since eight and are now 16 – one young musician and performer has got into the BRIT School, another is trying for RADA and one will study fashion at UAL.”
McCrory was born in Paddington in 1968 and trained at Drama Centre London in Kentish Town. During a glittering three decade career, she was feted for stage and screen roles from Shakespeare to Chekhov.
But she is probably best known for playing Aunt Polly in Peaky Blinders and Narcissa Malfoy in the Harry Potter blockbusters
She lived in Tufnell Park with her two children and fellow actor Damian Lewis – who has stepped up as patron of HvH Arts including giving masterclasses at their base in Queen’s Crescent, and handing out the McRory Awards.
They also run a media hub in Gospel Oak where young people can learn photography and film.
Debbi added: “Helen was phenomenal, really humble but inspiring – you could phone her at any time and she would help out. Damian is fully on board and we’ve had support from people like Freddie Fox and Sadie Frost who has been wonderful.”
To support the charity’s work and the Helen McCrory award for 2026, the online auction runs until December 18 and features original signed 1/1 photographs of McCrory by renowned photographers Jason Bell, Debbi Clark, Charlie Gray, Ray Burmiston, David Venni, Ian Derry, and Clive Arrowsmith.
All proceeds will go directly to the charity and Debbi, whose own work is featured, says of photographing the star: “Helen was a powerful woman who had both elegance and a kind of cheekiness that was there in the eyes. It can be difficult photographing a friend but Helen goes into it almost like a role.
“She will start moving then it will be ‘stop there’ and you have it.”
