The DEC Middle East Humanitarian Appeal raises £15 million in the first 5 days
The public, media, broadcasters and high-street brands across the UK have come together to raise urgently needed funds to support millions of people across the Middle East whose lives have been devastated by conflict.
The total raised for the DEC Middle East Humanitarian appeal now stands at £15 million, 5 days after it was launched last Thursday.
This figure includes generous donations by the UK public, DEC corporate partners and longstanding supporters, as well as UK Government Aid Match. Donations by the UK public are still being matched pound-for-pound by the UK Government up to £10 million, as part of its Aid Match scheme.
The Scottish Government have donated £200,000 to the Appeal through their Humanitarian Emergency Fund, and the Welsh Government have donated £100,000.
Just some of the high-profile support for the DEC Middle East Humanitarian Appeal so far has included:
TNT Sports airing the appeal across all of their live sports broadcasts until the end of October, including Premier League and Champions League matches.
Donations by Their Majesties The King and Queen, and Their Royal Highnesses The Prince and Princess of Wales.
DEC celebrity supporters David Morrissey, Myleene Klass, Adjoa Andoh and Ruth Wilson, who featured in appeals aired on TV and radio.
UK household brands including the Co-operative Group, the Post Office, Morrisons, NatWest and the Co-operative Bank supporting the appeal in high street branches and online.
Transport for London (TFL) supporting the appeal in London Underground stations.
Radiocentre distributing the appeal to the commercial radio broadcasters.
Podcast platform Acast are supporting the appeal across their content.
DEC Chief Executive Saleh Saeed said:
“The support around the UK for this appeal is testament to the incredible compassion and generosity of the public, and we’re incredibly grateful for the amount raised so far.
“Millions of people across Gaza, Lebanon and the wider region are facing a humanitarian crisis at a huge scale, and funds from this appeal are already making a difference to so many people in need of urgent aid. DEC charities are scaling up their responses right now across the region, knowing they have the support of the British public to do all they can to help and reach as many of those in need as possible.”
Notes to editors:
Media enquiries please call 07930 999 014 or 07871 309253 (out of hours).
Interview requests: For individual interviews with panellists or other spokespeople please contact: press1@dec.org.uk
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.
All 15 of the DEC’s members are either responding or planning to respond in the Middle East 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, Islamic Relief Worldwide, Oxfam GB, Save the Children UK, Tearfund and World Vision UK.
DEC member charities are committed to the principles of neutrality, impartiality, humanity and independence – it guides all of the lifesaving work we do. As humanitarian aid agencies, we have an obligation to give aid wherever it is needed, prioritising the most urgent needs of the most vulnerable people.
The majority of funds from this appeal will be spent in Gaza and Lebanon, where millions of people are displaced and desperately need humanitarian support. Some of the funds will also be used to support people in the West Bank, where the recent escalation in violence has forced many more to flee their homes, and had a devastating economic impact.
In Israel, families of those held hostage desperately await news of their loved ones, tens of thousands of people have been displaced, and many more are dealing with trauma caused by the ongoing conflict. We will continue to monitor the situation and needs in Israel. A number of DEC charities are in a position to expand their response to include Israel should the situation change.
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. For the Middle East Humanitarian appeal, every pound donated by the British public will be matched by the UK Government up to the value of £10 million.
UK Aid Match has increased the impact of a number of DEC appeals to help those in need around the world, including most recently the Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal in 2023. In 2022, the UK matched up to £25 million of public donations to DEC’s Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal - the largest commitment ever made to a DEC appeal through UK Aid Match.
UK Aid Match enquiries should be directed to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. Please call 020 7023 0600 (24-hour).
How to donate:
Online: dec.org.uk
- Phone: 0330 123 0333 [Standard network charges apply]
- Text to give/SMS: for press releases: text SUPPORT to 70676 to donate £10. Other partners should use the specific text keywords they have been provided with by the DEC. [Texts cost £10 plus your standard network rate]
- Send a cheque by post to: DEC Middle East Humanitarian Appeal, PO Box 999, London EC3A 3AA.
