ACTRESS Emma Rigby has become the newest celebrity ambassador to join leading UK aid agency, CAFOD.

The 27-year-old from Eccleston, who rose to fame as Hannah Ashworth in Hollyoaks and appeared in several BBC programmes including Prisoner’s Wives, has joined forces with CAFOD, Catholic Agency for Overseas Development to combine her faith with helping others.

A lifelong Catholic and self -confessed proud Northerner, Emma who attended De La Salle High school, recently participated in The Climate Coalition’s ‘Show the Love’ film and photo campaign – her first project in the new charity role.

After growing up in St Helens and recently moving back to the town from Los Angeles, the former St Julie’s pupil feels like the impact poverty has had in the local community, combined with her faith, has inspired her to work on behalf of the world’s poorest people.

She said: “I am delighted to become an ambassador for CAFOD as my Catholic faith is a huge, important part of my life, so it is brilliant to be able to collaborate with a charity that has the same values.

“CAFOD works in more than 40 countries, with some of the world’s poorest people, bringing hope and seeking solutions to end poverty and injustice.

“I find this incredibly inspiring and can’t wait to work to put my faith into action and give something back.”

Busy bee Emma, has been working on a number of exciting new projects including upcoming film, ‘American Violence’, with Denise Richards and Bruce Dern to be released in the US this month.

Jen Corlew, CAFOD’s communications director, said: “We are so pleased to welcome Emma as our newest ambassador.

“Talented, articulate and passionate about putting her faith into action, Emma is an excellent fit for CAFOD.

“We look forward to working with her more closely in the future, raising awareness of and positively impacting the lives of some of the world’s poorest communities.”