DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal reaches £260 million after stars perform at Concert for Ukraine

The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) today announced that its Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal had raised a total of £260 million following last night's Concert for Ukraine in Birmingham which raised over £13.4 million. 

The concert, featuring artists including Ed Sheeran, Camila Cabello, Paloma Faith, Gregory Porter, Emeli Sandé, Nile Rodgers and Chic and Ukrainian singer and former Eurovision winner Jamala, was broadcast live on ITV and STV, and is available to stream on demand at ITV Hub.  

The broadcast saw a surge in donations to the DEC's Ukraine appeal as 3.6 million people tuned in. Profits from ticket sales and an estimated £3 million in advertising revenue from ITV will also be donated with the concert raising over £13.4 million in total. The overall total of £260 million also includes £25 million matched by the UK Government at the start of the appeal. 

The concert was also broadcast live on Ukrainian TV and will air around the world to raise funds. It included moving readings of refugees’ testimonies by Tamsin Greig and Eddie Marsan, films from Ukraine’s border with Mel Giedroyc and Robert Rinder and a video diary from an aid worker inside Ukraine. 

The appeal is funding the work of DEC member charities and their local partners helping people both inside Ukraine and refugees fleeing the conflict there. At least 4 million people have fled to neighbouring countries since the conflict began and a further 6.5 million have been forced to flee their homes inside the country. 

Donations to the appeal will help meet people's immediate needs and also help people affected by the conflict in the months and years ahead. For example one charity is using DEC funds to buy £1 million-worth of trauma kits for civilian first aid inside Ukraine. 

DEC Chief Executive Saleh Saeed said: “I want to say an enormous thank you to everyone who helped make the concert happen last night in just two weeks, especially the brilliant acts who performed, ITV and STV for donating the advertising revenue and airing the show live, and Livewire who put in so much work behind the scenes to make it possible. 

“The response to this appeal has been incredibly generous and I’d like to personally thank everyone who has donated, raised funds and helped spread the word. Your efforts mean that aid workers will be able to help people affected by this devastating conflict both now and in the months and years to come.” 

Camila Cabello said: “My heart is breaking for the people of Ukraine. As refugees from Ukraine join millions of other displaced people around the globe, we all have a responsibility. One of the biggest needs is to get funds to organisations who can serve these communities directly, so we’re focusing our efforts on doing that as quickly as we can.” 

ENDS 
 

Notes to editors: 

Media enquiries please call 020 7387 0200 or 07734 653616 (out of hours). 

Spokespeople available in Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Moldova and the UK.  For more information or to request interviews in advance please contact: bguiton@dec.org.uk 

A collection of images and footage of people affected by the conflict and DEC member charities responding both inside Ukraine and on its borders is available here.  

About the DEC: The DEC brings together 15 leading UK aid charities at times of crisis overseas to raise funds quickly and efficiently. In these times of crisis, people in life-and-death situations need our help and our mission is to save, protect and rebuild lives through effective humanitarian response. 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.  

Thirteen of the DEC’s 15 members are either responding or planning to respond in Ukraine or in neighbouring countries and will receive funds from this appeal. Some may work through trusted local partners. They are Action Against Hunger, ActionAid UK, Age International, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide UK, International Rescue Committee UK, Oxfam GB, Plan International UK, Save the Children UK and World Vision UK.  

The UK Government match funded up to £25 million of public donations to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. This is the largest commitment ever made to a DEC appeal through UK Aid Match and will double the impact of public donations, ensuring that charities working on the ground can reach those in urgent need.  

Through UK Aid Match the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) gives the British public the opportunity to have a say in how the UK aid budget is spent whilst boosting the impact of the very best British charities to change and save the lives of some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. 

UK Aid Match has increased the impact of a number of DEC appeals to help those in need around the world, including most recently to support people in Afghanistan through DEC’s Afghanistan Appeal in 2021.  

Enquiries about UK Aid Match and UK Government support for Ukraine should be directed to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Newsdesk. Please email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk.  

24/02/23 Update: Find out how donations are helping one year on from the start of the conflict here.

How to donate:   

• Online: dec.org.uk  
• Phone: 0370 60 60 900  
• SMS: To donate £10 text SUPPORT to 70150. Texts cost £10 plus the standard network charge and the whole £10 goes to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. You must be 16 or over and please ask the bill payer's permission. For full terms and conditions and more information go to www.dec.org.uk  
• Or donate over the counter at any high street bank or post office or send a cheque by post to Post: DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, PO Box 999, London EC3A 3AA.