The City of London Corporation has donated £20,000 to help people in some of the world’s most disadvantaged communities fight COVID-19 – and is calling on City firms to follow suit.

The money from the City Corporation’s International Disasters Fund will go to the coronavirus appeal launched this week by the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), which co-ordinates humanitarian relief efforts around the world.

It will be used to help families who have lost everything, been forced to flee their homes and are living in refugee or internal displacement camps in countries including Yemen, Syria and Somalia.

Living in overcrowded conditions with limited access to handwashing and medical facilities and difficulty maintaining social distancing, they are extremely vulnerable to the virus.

The City Corporation has already donated £60,000 to charities battling coronavirus in the UK, while its charity funder, City Bridge Trust, has given £6 million to tackle the impact of the pandemic in London.

Jeremy Mayhew, Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s Finance Committee, said:

“Coronavirus is a global health emergency affecting us all, but the crowded and unsanitary conditions people living in refugee camps face means they are particularly vulnerable to the virus.

“We’ve seen in this country how simple measures can have a big impact, and this money will help provide essentials such as hygiene kits for families and basic medical equipment.

“While we and our partners have focused on helping organisations in the UK battling COVID-19, we shouldn’t forget that millions of lives are at risk in some of the world’s most disadvantaged communities if the virus goes unchecked.

“The DEC appeal will make a huge difference in the global fight against the pandemic, and I’d urge businesses in the City and across the capital to contribute to this effort.”

The City Corporation’s International Disaster Fund has donated £20,000 each to the British Red Cross, Team Rubicon UK and St John Ambulance for their efforts in tackling COVID-19 in the UK.

Meanwhile, City Bridge Trust, the City Corporation’s charitable funder, has given £6 million to the London Community Response Fund, which helps charities and voluntary groups facing plummeting income and rising demand for services as a result of the pandemic.

More information on the DEC coronavirus appeal is online at www.dec.org.uk

Notes to editors

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile, dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally successful UK – www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

The City Corporation gives millions of pounds a year to charities as part of its commitment to creating a fairer, more inclusive society.

Grants given by the City Corporation’s International Disaster Fund in the last three years include £25,000 to Team Rubicon UK’s Hurricane Dorian response appeal, £30,000 to the Disasters Emergency Committee’s Cyclone Idai Appeal and £25,000 to the We Love Manchester appeal following the devastating terror attacks on the city.