A TikTok star from Blackburn has opened up about his ‘eye opening’ experience visiting a foodbank after being named a charity ambassador.

Shabaz Ali, who has 1.9 million followers on TikTok, has been named ambassador of Save the Children UK.

He and will be gearing up for a big challenge to support the charity by running the 2025 London Marathon.

Shabaz, known as ‘Shabaz Says’ on his social media channels, creates comedic and light-hearted content that uses humour and satire to reflect and comment on the latest news and social trends, with a particular focus on poverty and discrimination.

Outside of the internet, Shabaz is a secondary school chemistry teacher and has a deep understanding of the important issues children face and care deeply about.

Shabaz, 30, said: “Save The Children has always been a charity I have campaigned for, way before social media as I love working with children and young people. I read up about their work and see where their profits go.”

Over the last year, Shabaz has used his platform to showcase the pivotal work Save the Children does across the UK.

He has volunteered his time at a food pantry supported by Save the Children in Manchester as well as campaigning tirelessly to extend families’ access to free school meals.

Shabaz said his time at a food pantry was “eye-opening” especially as it was visited by people with full-time jobs.

The former Stonyhurst College teacher said: “It was shocking. I can’t believe that we, in a well-developed country, need those services. I met so many amazing people from the community and heard their stories.

“There is a common misconception that people who use the food banks are lazy and don’t want to go to work but that is not the case. I met people who were working full-time jobs, including nurses, who just couldn’t afford food on their wages.

“So many amazing people volunteer there. Staff also said there are not enough food banks to feed the people in need. To watch the work they do is so amazing.”

Shabaz said he has never needed to go to a food bank but said he saw how food poverty impacted his friends and people in Blackburn.

He said: “I come from a working-class family. We never needed a food bank but I grew up with a lot of friends who didn’t have that.

“Meeting people whose lives are affected is so different to knowing food banks exist.

“I have always been around working-class people. My friends at school had free school meals.

"Working with children, I saw first-hand how many kids go without food. Not being able to afford food is mind-boggling.

As well as supporting the charity’s annual Christmas Jumper Day fundraiser, Shabaz has also empowered young people to use their voices through the political literacy project ‘Our Generation, Our Vote’, which gave children the opportunity to cast their ballot in a mock election for under 18 year-olds in England and Wales.

He will also be taking his followers on a journey as he sets out to run the London Marathon in April 2025.

From his first few runs, training sessions, and gym workouts to seeing the impact donations can make, Shabaz will use his platform to highlight the work Save the Children does across the UK and the world.

Shabaz, known for filming social media videos from the comfort of his bed, said he is both excited and nervous to be taking part.

“I thought it was a brilliant idea at the time, now it is getting closer I am thinking ‘I’ve actually got to run 26 miles’. It is all good in theory isn’t it?” he joked.

“Most of the time I am lying down in bed in my videos – my viewers are surprised I have legs! The comment section has been so lovely... I am overwhelmed.

“I am excited to be part of something. I always see how happy people are when they finish it. I know I can raise so much money for it.  

“I used to run in lockdown. Before that, I hated the outdoors. I love the freedom of running and regularly run around Entwistle reservoir.”

Shabaz is urging any creators with a large platform to promote positivity to their following.

He said: “My goal has always been to inspire people. I have always wanted to do so much good in the world.

"Activism, changing someone’s opinion or making the world a better place through your following is what it should be about.

“I implore all people with followings to do the same. You can reach more voices than national television can. I want to use that to promote some good in the world and also spread comedy.”

Shabaz, who worked at Bolton’s Rivington and Blackrod School for four years, also added that he is proud to represent Blackburn, bringing some positive news to the town.

He said: “Growing up I felt ashamed of my town and I don’t know why. It felt like people viewed us as coming from a small town who don’t amount to much. I felt like I should move to London and ‘live my dream’.

“Now I am older I realise I love Blackburn. Every time I go to London I can’t wait to go back home, back to my little town where everyone knows everyone and there is a strong community spirit.

Everyone has each other’s back. We might be from a small town but our hearts are big.

“I love people saying ‘putting Blackburn on the map’ because we are on the map. There are so many brilliant people here and they should be given praise too.”

Gemma Sherrington, interim chief executive of Save the Children said: “We are delighted to be welcoming Shabaz as an ambassador for Save the Children.

“His career as a teacher means he has first-hand insight into what’s important to children and it’s made him so passionate about making a positive difference to lives both here in the UK and around the world.

“It’s been brilliant to see him get so involved in the work we do and meet the children we work with. As he prepares for the London Marathon, we’ll all be getting behind him and cannot wait to see him cross that finish line!”

Shabaz Ali will be running the 2025 London Marathon on Sunday, April 27. To donate to his Just Giving page by visiting www. justgiving.com and searching ‘Shabaz's fundraiser for Save the Children’.