Tag: appeal
DEC launches Ebola crisis appeal
DEC launches first ever appeal in response to disease outbreak
Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) member agencies are scaling up their aid efforts in West Africa where they have already helped over 2.5m people affected by the Ebola crisis. The DEC launched its Ebola Crisis Appeal yesterday with appeals carried by all major UK broadcasters.
The urgent appeal for funds is essential to help member agencies intensify their efforts to stop the explosive spread of the disease and support those affected.
DEC Chief Executive Saleh Saeed said: “Aid workers are on the front line in the fight against Ebola. Some are facing great risk and local staff and partners are also being ostracised by their friends and families because people are so terrified.
“This is a price they are prepared to pay as they struggle to stop the spread of the disease and support those affected by the crisis. They need your help NOW not only to support medical treatment but to bury the dead safely, care for Ebola orphans, help families disinfect their homes, provide food to people in quarantine and, critically, to teach communities how to keep themselves safe and stop the spread of Ebola.”
This is the first time in the DEC’s 50-year history that it has launched an appeal in response to a disease outbreak: an historic move that reflects the scale of the situation.
The Ebola outbreak is the most severe the world has ever seen: it has so far infected 10,000 people and killed nearly 5,000 more, with the World Health Organisation warning of up to 10,000 new cases a week by December if it is not contained.
All major UK broadcasters carryied the DEC appeal yesterday, including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky. The appeal is also supported by other major DEC partners including ITN, BT, Post Office, British Bankers Association, Royal Mail, RadioCentre and NewsNow.
In addition to the 2.5 million people reached by DEC member agencies’ efforts, several hundreds of thousands more have been targeted by radio broadcasts and print materials containing life-saving messages on how communities can safeguard themselves from the disease.
Amongst the aid delivered activities so far include:
- ActionAid has reached over 271,000 people in Sierra Leone and Liberia, delivering sanitation supplies to medical facilities, giving food and clothing to affected families and running public information campaigns.
- British Red Cross partners have buried 3,595 victims of Ebola safely and with dignity across Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. They have helped to trace over 41,000 at-risk individuals.
- CAFOD is giving food aid to over 9,000 quarantined families, providing sanitation materials and training faith leaders to raise awareness of safe burial practices.
- CARE International has distributed hygiene packs to 1,100 vulnerable and quarantined households in Sierra Leone, reaching 53,000 people. The kits include soap, buckets fitted with taps and other essential materials.
- Christian Aid is distributing food and hygiene kits to over 2,000 quarantined residents in Ebola hotspots and has reached 1.2 million people with awareness raising work, run by 900 volunteers using existing community networks.
- Concern Worldwide is managing burial teams, educating communities on prevention methods and supporting district health workers. It has reached 170,000 people in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
- Oxfam is providing hygiene kits, giving health and burial workers protective clothing, supplying water to treatment and isolation centres, and co-ordinating door-to-door awareness-raising campaigns. It has reached almost 500,000 people.
- Plan UK is giving psychosocial care to children, and has distributed food and sanitation kits to nearly 45,000 people.
- Save the Children are building and managing health and community care centres where Ebola sufferers can be isolated and treated. It is training health volunteers and providing medical supplies.
- Tearfund is working with over 1,000 churches to curb transmission, reaching over 350,000 people with prevention advice and distributing 2,600 hygiene kits to families.
- World Vision has reached 7,500 people in mosques and churches with disease prevention advice and is providing materials to health workers.
The DEC does not set fundraising targets for its appeals and is always grateful for whatever support the UK public are able to offer.
To make a donation to the DEC Ebola Crisis Appeal visit www.dec.org.uk or call the 24-hour hotline on 0370 60 60 900. You can also donate £5 by texting the word SUPPORT to 70000.
What your money could buy:
- £25 can provide cleaning kits including bleach, soap and a bucket for three families at risk from Ebola.
- £50 can provide basic protective clothing such as gloves, masks, boots and gowns for three volunteers supporting people under quarantine.
- £100 can provide training to a community on how to keep themselves safe and help stop the spread of Ebola.
Stay up to date with developments in Ebola, the emergency response and the fundraising efforts with the DEC on twitter:http://twitter.com/decappeal or on Facebook via http://www.facebook.com/DisastersEmergencyCommittee
pictures: Getty Images
Fresh appeal for missing student
Police Scotland Edinburgh Division is appealing for information in tracing a Russian student who has been missing from her address in the capital for over a week.
Yulia Solodyankina, (22), who has been studying Physics at Edinburgh University, was last seen at the Wee Red Bar in Lady Lawson Street on June 7 and was first reported missing last Wednesday (12 June).
Since her disappearance police have been carrying out extensive enquiries in order to trace her whereabouts, and continue to urge anyone with information to contact them. Her friends have also organised a social media campaign to track her down.
Yulia speaks fluent English with a strong Russian accent, and is described as being of medium build, with long dark brown hair. She is about 5ft 6ins tall, and has a small mole on her left cheek. Her ears are pierced and she wears a number of rings on her fingers, in particular a distinctive thumb ring, which is shaped like a small spoon.
When last seen Yulia was wearing a dark jacket, dark trousers, white trainers and carrying a large dark coloured rucksack which appeared to be full.
Chief Inspector Mark Patterson, of Police Scotland Edinburgh Division, said: “It has been a week since Yulia was first reported missing, and despite our enquiries and appeals for information from the public, we still have no information as to her current whereabouts.
“Yulia’s father had travelled to Edinburgh to visit his daughter and help plan her graduation celebrations, but instead he is distraught by her disappearance, and has left the Capital without ever making contact with her.
“We have been heartened by the level of interest in her disappearance, helped by her friends organising their own appeals through social media, and we remain keen for any information that can help us trace her whereabouts.
“I would urge anyone who has seen or heard from Yulia since she went missing, or who has any other information that can help us, to contact Police Scotland on 101, or the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Corstorphine Hill murder: do you recognise these rings?
Police Scotland detectives investigating the discovery of a woman’s remains on Corstorphine Hill in Edinburgh today released images of four rings belonging to the victim.
Detective Chief Inspector Keith Hardie said: “Responses to previous appeals for information on this woman’s identity have been encouraging. And while we are following up calls and information from all over the UK, we have still to make a real breakthrough in identifying the victim.
“As I have previously said, distinctive rings found with the woman may provide a real clue to her identity. Today we are now in a position to release images of those rings. Two are particularly distinctive – one in the shape of a daisy and one in the shape of a heart. Both are gold and are set with precious stones. I would ask anyone who recognises these rings or, who has seen someone they know wearing rings like these, to add that detail to the other things we know about the woman.”
The woman was believed to have been aged between 32 and 60 and had had extensive cosmetic work, in the form of veneers and implants, carried out on her teeth. She was white, slim, of medium build and about 5 feet 2 inches tall.
All of the rings are old but are not thought to have significant value.
One of the items belonging to the victim is a traditional Irish claddagh ring, which police said is also popular within the travelling community – but police are not drawing any conclusions from this. The heart of the claddagh ring was facing towards the body, which traditionally means the wearer has a partner.
DCI Hardie added: “We are committed to identifying this woman. We have followed up more than 80 calls and, while we are extremely grateful for the information provided, we still await that real gateway call. We are keeping an open mind on this woman’s background and history. But I am determined to uncover the information that will enable us to identify the victim and then identify those responsible for her murder.”
Police Scotland have cast their net far and wide in their attempts to identify the victim – they have contacted Europol and have also discussed the murder with colleagues in Ireland. Ten days on from the discovery of the dismembered body, however, the woman’s identity remains a mystery and police still hope that members of the public may yet be able to assist with the investigation.
Chief Inspector Murray Dykes, of Police Scotland Edinburgh Division, said: “High visibility patrols continue on Corstorphine Hill and the surrounding area and members of the public are encouraged to approach these officers if they have any information they want to bring to our attention.”
Can you help St David’s?
St David’s Primary’s Parents Council are organising the school’s Christmas Fair and they would be hugely grateful for any donations of raffle/tombola prizes. If you can help, call Heather on 07590 767 835 or Paula on 0752 210 0461 (evening only) or email Paula at paulamcvay@live.co.uk
The School Fair takes place on Friday 14 December from 12 – 2pm
