 Nesbitt is a patron of Wave , a charity set up to support those <unk> by the Troubles . The charity faced closure due to funding problems before Nesbitt encouraged celebrities and artists to become involved . Since 2005 , he has been a UNICEF UK ambassador , working with HIV and AIDS <unk> , and former child soldiers in Africa . He describes the role as " a privilege " . Writing in The Independent about his visit to Zambia in 2006 , Nesbitt concluded that the children he met were owed a social and moral responsibility . The article was described in the Evening Standard as " moving and notably well @-@ crafted " . Since 1999 , he has been a patron of Action Cancer , a result of both his father 's <unk> with prostate cancer and a storyline in the second series of Cold Feet , where his character suffered <unk> cancer . He has been an honorary patron of Youth Lyric , one of Ireland 's largest theatre schools , since 2007 . 
