Derek Mitchell on what we can learn from the journey of a soap star

A few weeks ago the actress Cheryl Fergison made headlines as she spoke about her time since leaving her high-profile job in Eastenders. 

In the 12 years since playing Heather Trott, her acting career had stalled. She spoke openly about her challenges since, including with her health, debt and depression. She also discussed her experiences that led her use a foodbank for the first time.  

She didn’t have to talk about this, but she wanted to use her experience to show that anyone can have a run of bad luck. She also highlighted the vital help that’s available and why we need to end the awful stigma often placed on people seeking help. I think that was terrifically brave.  

Talking about needing support from a foodbank, she said: "I sat there and cried and cried. It was shameful. How could I have been on EastEnders, earning that much money and now I am here? It was one of the hardest things I've had to do. I found it so difficult to be that vulnerable. But I didn't have any money to do a weekly shop. I was trying to pay too many debts."

The second half of that paragraph will be something that many people can identify with. But the first half is fascinating too. How can it be that someone who was a major – and well-paid - star in one of the UK’s most popular TV shows later struggled to put food on the table?  

The answer is quite simple. It’s called life. When you’ve worked for the Citizens Advice network for a while you come to understand this. We see it again and again coming through our doors.  

You can be rolling along fine – great job, good house, nice car, holidays abroad. Then maybe you get sick. Or someone you love gets sick. Or you suddenly lose your job. Maybe there’s a pandemic. Or just a streak of bad luck. A bad investment, your car breaks down, the house gets flooded, you fall victim to a scam or develop a gambling addiction.  

Things happen. Life isn’t simple, or predictable. You can try to avoid these calamities, but they do happen. And if you talk to the people who have experienced them, you’ll find they have one thing in common: like you – they never thought it could happen to them.  

And unfortunately, many of our systems are broken and the support needed to help people during difficult periods in their lives, simply isn’t there.  

I’m not trying to scare you. In fact, I’m trying to reassure you. Because the other thing that stood out from Cheryl Fergison’s interview was that her journey to the foodbank – and some stability in her life again - started with a visit to her local Citizens Advice Bureau. The advisers there listened, empathised and physically took her to the foodbank. Today, she’s back working and on the path to a brighter future. 

So, the message is clear. Our CAB network is here to help anyone who needs support at any point in their lives. There’s no judgement from us, only support when you need it. And with that, Happy new year.

Derek Mitchell is chief executive of Citizens Advice Scotland.

This column was first published in the Herald www.theherald.co.uk