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15 UK charities launch joint fundraising appeal for refugees fleeing Ukraine

The UK government has pledged to match donations from the public pound-for-pound up to the value of £20 million.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 3rd March 2022

A group of 15 UK charities have today launched a joint fundraising appeal to help more than a million refugees fleeing Ukraine.

With the conflict continuing to rise and as the Russian invasion of Ukraine said to be “turning lives upside down”, the government-back group of charities – known as the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) – decided to club their efforts together to provide aid, with one member executive describing the situation as one of the most “heartbreaking [he] had ever seen”.

It is estimated up to four million people could flee Ukraine due to the conflict.

The DEC said that people fleeing the country are in desperate need of food, water, medical assistance and protection.

Many refugees are being forced into hiding to stay safe.

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“The majority crossing the borders are women and children arriving with only what they can carry,” the DEC added.

The DEC’s 15 member charities are – Action Against Hunger, ActionAid UK, Age International, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide UK, International Rescue Committee UK, Islamic Relief Worldwide, Oxfam GB, Plan International UK, Save the Children UK, Tearfund, and World Vision UK.

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At present, 13 of the DEC member organisations are said to be responding in Ukraine and its neighbouring countries to the Russian invasion, according to the committee.

Giving an insight into the current situation from the perspective of someone on the ground, Andrew Morley – chief executive of World Vision International, who has recently returned from Siret on the Romanian border – explained: “We support children in countless crises across the world, including those I have recently visited such as Syria and the DRC, but I have never seen a more heartbreaking situation.

“All the children I met were crossing the border in tears, with pain and fear in their eyes.

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“They were lost and scared.

“They need the basics, simple, practical help [and while] our staff have been present in this area for decades and there on the ground to deliver it, we need financial support to do this.”

It’s estimated up to four million people could flee Ukraine due to the conflict / Credit: DEC / Ukrainian Red Cross

Appeals for public donations to the committee – which was first announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson during PMQs yesterday – will be broadcast on various UK news channels over the coming weeks, with every pound donated by the British public set to be matched by the government up to the value of £20 million.

“Time and time again the British people have proved responsive and generous when confronted with a global emergency,” Boris Johnson said.

“And so I have no doubt that millions will support this vital appeal.”

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Foreign Secretary Liz Truss added: “The UK stands with people fleeing this terrible conflict and we are working with our humanitarian partners to provide for those in need in Ukraine and the wider region in their hour of need.

“Through the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, we will match, pound for pound, up to £20 million of donations from the Great British public, ensuring vital support reaches communities in desperate need of help.”

You can find more information and donate via the DEC here.

Featured Image – Yehor Milohrodskyi (via Unsplash)

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A local baby bank is holding a vital fundraiser to stop it from closing for good

Danny Jones Danny Jones Save Our Baby Bank Trafford Greater Manchester fundraiser

A Greater Manchester baby bank is holding a vital fundraiser in hopes of preventing it from closing for good imminently.

For anyone unaware, baby banks are crucial organisations run largely by volunteers who help provide supplies to families in local communities, with more than 300 in use across the UK at present.

Through delivering much-needed aid such as clothing, prams, nappies and baby food, right through to direct financial support, they help keep parents and their children in good supply of essentials and much more – hugely important work at any rate, let alone during the winter and a cost of living crisis.

However, the Little Green Sock Project over in Trafford is at risk of permanent closure and was initially given until the new year to raise £200,000.

As seen in this moving video, the baby bank based over in Stretford Mall is in dire need of support and, crucially, the funds for a new premises.

They’ve been deeply moved by how Greater Manchester united in reaching into their pockets and sparing whatever they can to contribute to their fundraising target thus far – and they really are nearly at the finish line, which would mean safety for the genuinely life-saving service.

Fundamentally operated as a non-profit and volunteer-led charity, they naturally don’t have the means to just take over a new space on their own and with the current site set to be demolished very soon, a minimum of £200k is needed to find and fund a new location.

Having amassed over 90% of the amount needed, they’ve already bought themselves extra time, they just need one last push from us.

Urging people to donate what they can and share their fundraiser where possible, as well as welcoming corporate sponsorships should other local businesses wish to back them or get stuck through volunteering days, time is of the essence.

The Little Green Sock Project was only started back in 2022 and has already supported over 1,300 children, redistributing more than £240,000 worth of essential items like clothing, cots, prams, and stair gates to local families, as well as saving 20 tonnes of items from landfills.

It’s no exaggeration to say that they’ve changed and saved lives, both parents and children, and with the often difficult festive period approaching, their work is needed now more than ever.

There are just under a dozen baby banks in all of Greater Manchester, many of which are facing similar pressures. (Credit: Supplied)

Speaking on their efforts and the fundraiser, founder Catherine D’Albertanson said: “We believe that essentials needed for the health and wellbeing of children should not only be for those that can afford them. Our work ensures that no child in our community goes without essentials, but without new premises, we will have no choice but to close.”

Moreover, Little Green Sock Project is the only baby bank in the Trafford area and of the families it serves, 58% are single-parent households already struggling with the cost of raising children, while 29% are fleeing domestic abuse, often leaving their belongings behind to protect their family.

With their circular economy model, they also help reduce waste whilst providing “a trusted link between the families that have items to give, to those that need them the most”, with D’Albertanson adding, “If we lose this charity, we lose a vital safety net for many in our community.”

A service user commented: “It was a truly terrifying time when I was pregnant with my first child. I found myself completely alone, with a baby on the way, wondering how I could possibly provide for my son.

“Then I found Little Green Sock Project, and everything changed. Everything was carefully chosen, colour-coordinated, and presented in such a thoughtful way. It felt so special—like someone truly cared about me and my baby. That feeling is indescribable, especially for someone in my position.

“There are so many people like me with stories like this. It breaks my heart to think that the Little Green Sock Project might have to close its doors. I can’t imagine what my life would have been like without your help, and I hope with all my heart that the community comes together to keep this lifeline alive.”

Manchester parents need this much-loved baby bank – let’s not let it fall away on our watch. (Credit: Andy Bate at Royal Foundation)

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Every pound donated goes towards helping find the Little Green Sock Project a new home, but people can help contribute in other ways, once again, by spreading the word or getting their hands dirty in person.

Greater Manchester never fails to amaze when it rallies behind causes like this, and we’re sure you won’t let us down this time either. Let’s keep the lights on the lifelines for local families intact.

You can donate now, or to find out other ways to do your bit, click HERE.

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Featured Images — Little Green Sock Project/Andy Bate – Royal Foundation (supplied)

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Government to begin giving millions of UK workers ‘significant’ pay rises from this week

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

The Government is to begin giving more than three million workers across the UK a ‘significant pay boost’ from this week.

Announced as part of last year’s Budget, and in a bid to ‘put thousands of pounds back in the pockets of working people every year’, the Government confirmed back at the beginning of February that a new National Living Wage of £12.21 per hour, and a new National Minimum Wage of £10 per hour would take effect from April onwards.

Ministers said the 6.7% increase to the National Living Wage – which is now worth £1,400 a year for an eligible full-time worker – is a ‘significant step’ towards delivering the manifesto commitment to deliver a ‘genuine’ living wage.  

On top of this, the National Minimum Wage for 18-20-year-olds is also set to go up by a record increase of £1.40 an hour, which means full-time younger workers eligible for the rate will see their pay boosted by £2,500 a year.  

The minimum wage pay boot has also been called the first step towards removing the ‘unfair’ age-bands that see a 21-year-old getting paid more than a 20-year-old for doing the same job. 

According to the Government, this is also the first time the National Living Wage has taken into account the cost of living and inflation.

Three million UK workers will be getting a ‘significant’ pay rise from this week / Credit: Pexels

“In the last Parliament, living standards were the worst on record and sky-high inflation was crushing working people’s finances,” commented Chancellor Rachel Reeves, explaining why the pay boosts are being introduced.

“Making work pay is good for workers, will strengthen businesses’ workforces, and will grow our economy for years to come.

“It’s a key milestone on my number one mission to get more money in people’s pockets as we deliver our Plan for Change.”

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Not only that, but the minimum hourly wage for an apprentice is also set to be boosted later this year too, with an 18-year-old apprentice seeing their minimum hourly pay increase by 18% to £7.55 an hour. 

As a result of these particular changes, a further four million workers also could benefit from the positive spill-over impacts of the rate increases.   

Featured Image –

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