Taboo star Tom Hardy on trading room floor to raise funds for Acorns Hospice

A-lister Tom, currently starring in the Saturday night drama Taboo, took part in a charity day organised by financial services company ICAP, where celebrities join stockbrokers on the trading floor at the financial services company in London.

The actor manned the phones under the guidance of brokers and closed deals with customers, personally bringing in £7,000.

His decision to give the cash to Acorns is believed to be influenced by his friendship with Taboo's producer Steven Knight, who grew up in Streetly. Knight was also his director on the film Locke which features Hardy in a fraught journey on the M6.

Each year the global brokerage firm donates a day's revenue and commissions to charity, with the staff dressing up to complete their trades.

Staff at Acorns were unaware that Hardy, who also appeared in the Birmingham-based hit drama series Peaky Blinders, was going to donate the money he raised to them.

"Tom did an amazing job closing deals and we really appreciate his time and help raising funds and awareness for our work," Louise Arnold, director of income generation at Acorns, which provides care for life limited and life threatened children across the Midlands..

"We have to raise nearly £10 million every year to provide the complex range of services, care and support families rely on, so this donation will help make a real difference to families across the region."

Hardy, whose film credits include The Revenant, Dark Knight Rises and Mad Max, worked alongside traders who were dressed in large wigs and fancy dress.

In the past year Acorns has provided care for more than 830 children and over 1,060 families.ICAP donates 100 per cent of revenues and brokers' commissions from deals closed on its Charity Day and this year the initiative raised £8.2 million.