Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Ukraine war: UK's DEC charity appeal raises £55m in a day

Ukraine war: UK's DEC charity appeal raises £55m in a day

An appeal by the UK Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) to help thousands of Ukrainians fleeing the conflict has raised £55 million in its first day

The total includes donations from the Queen, the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge, DEC said.

Hundreds of thousands of people donated to the humanitarian effort within hours of its launch on Thursday.

The total includes £20m donated by the UK government as part of its UK Aid Match scheme.

Fifteen UK aid agencies - including the British Red Cross, Oxfam and Save the Children - have joined together to ask the public to donate.

More than a million people have fled Ukraine since Russian forces launched an invasion last Thursday.

Fighting is continuing with Russia escalating its air campaign over the last two days, with at least 47 civilians killed in the northern city of Chernihiv on Thursday and the shelling of a nuclear power plant.

DEC chief executive Saleh Saeed said the committee was "extremely grateful" for the "huge generosity" of everyone who had donated to the appeal.

The DEC was also "very grateful for the generous support of the royal family", he added.

Mr Saeed said it was the DEC's biggest appeal since the tsunami in the Indian Ocean in 2004.

The appeal was broadcast on all BBC TV and radio stations, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky on Thursday.

Game Of Thrones star Kit Harington and Trigger Point actor Adrian Lester appeared in broadcasts publicising the launch, while commercial radio appeals were voiced by Doctor Who star David Tennant.

Downton Abbey actor Hugh Bonneville also backed the campaign in a video on Friday. "We've all seen the devastation on our TV screens and playing out on social media, and I wanted to do what I could to draw attention to a simple way you can help - by giving to DEC charities," he said.


Mr Saeed said that donations given through the DEC were "the most effective way to get the right assistance to the right people".

"While wanting to collect clothes and other items for people in need is laudable, the things people give today may not be what people need tomorrow and aid workers say they can't use much of what is arriving. Donating through the DEC is the most helpful way people can assist," he said.

He added that while it was an "astonishing amount" to raise on the first day of the appeal, people were being urged to keep donating as "the need is great and the response needed is likely to run into months and years".

Mr Saeed told BBC News up to seven million people could be displaced.

"They are having to leave their homes, their livelihoods, their jobs, their possessions and sometimes family members behind - and only taking what they can carry," he said.

"That means they need food, water, blankets, warmth, shelter and of course - those that need it - medical treatment and healthcare."

DEC members, and the local aid agencies working with them, are operating in Ukraine and in neighbouring countries of Poland, Romania, Hungary, Moldova and Slovakia.

They are using the money raised to provide trauma care, as well as providing medical treatment, food, water and shelter.

Tesco has announced it will donate £1 million to the Red Cross, one of the DEC charities, and has pledged to establish a scheme to match every pound donated by customers - up to a further £1 million.

The World Health Organization Foundation has launched its own international appeal with a target of $57.5 million (£43.2 million) to deliver urgent healthcare to those in Ukraine as well as refugees.


What is the DEC?


* The committee brings together 15 leading UK aid charities to provide and deliver aid to ensure successful appeals

* The charities include Oxfam, Save the Children UK, Age International, British Red Cross, Cafod, Christian Aid and Islamic Relief

* Its website provides more details of its current appeals

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
×