London,
27
March
2017
|
09:51
Europe/London

City of London Corporation encourages firms to step forward and give to East Africa disaster appeal after £55k donation

The City of London Corporation has donated £55,000 to famine relief in East Africa after the announcement of an emergency appeal and is hoping City firms will follow suit.

The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has launched an urgent appeal for donations to address the famine crisis in East Africa and says that, without immediate relief, it will get much worse.

Drought and conflict have left 16 million people on the brink of starvation and in urgent need of food, water, and medical treatment.

Following the strongest El Nino on record, the government in Kenya has declared a national emergency and Ethiopia is battling drought. Women, children, and older people are suffering the most with more than 800,000 children under five severely malnourished.

In times of crisis, the DEC brings together 13 leading UK aid charities. It launches appeals to raise money to help those affected by disaster, making sure that funds reach those most in need.

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

“This emergency appeal will help people in terrible situations and we very much hope City firms will follow our lead.

“This appeal is helping children suffering traumatic and life changing circumstances; many urgently need the most basic life essentials, like food and clean water.

“I hope businesses across the Square Mile will also donate funds to this vital cause. The money can really make a difference to the lives of those in desperate need in East Africa.”

Since 2004, the City of London Corporation has given over £1million in humanitarian aid, ranging from short- to long-term appeals, such as the Syrian Refugee Appeal and the West Africa Ebola Outbreak appeal.

In December, the City Corporation gave £45k to two international disaster relief funds for emergency appeals in Nigeria and Yemen. Its donations included £20,000 to the Save the Children’s North East Nigeria Famine Relief Appeal and £25,000 to DEC’s Yemen Humanitarian Crisis Appeal.

Each year, the City of London Corporation gives millions of pounds to charities to tackle disadvantage and to help to create a more fair, inclusive and sustainable society.

The City Corporation’s charitable funder, City Bridge Trust, provides grants totalling around £20 million per year to support charitable activity benefitting London. Since 1995 the Trust has awarded around 7,500 grants totalling over £360 million. It is London’s biggest independent grant giver.

ENDS