British Red Cross launches fundraising campaign for London Bridge attack

08 Jun 2017 News

The British Red Cross has launched ‘A Saturday Night for London’ fundraising campaign to mark one week since the terrorist attack at London Bridge, and to raise money for its UK Solidarity Fund.

In a statement, the British Red Cross said its ‘A Saturday Night for London’ campaign is being supported by Borough market, Uber, Deliveroo and the Greene King Pubs chain and is calling on Londoners to “Ride for London, eat a Dish for London and say Cheers for London to help raise money for the victims of the attacks and their families”.

Taxi company Uber is pledging to donate £1 for every trip taken in London this Saturday night between 8pm and midnight and food delivery company Deliveroo has pledged to make a £1 donation for every single order placed across the capital on Saturday evening from 6pm onwards.

Also, some 120 Greene King Pubs across the capital will be holding collections, while many of the outlets in Borough Market – one of the scenes of last weekend’s attack – will also be taking part.

The charity is also encouraging those staying in on Saturday to donate £10 via text message.

All money raised on Saturday will go towards the British Red Cross's UK Solidarity Fund, which the charity launched last Sunday. According to the charity, the UK Solidarity Fund has already raised over £400,000.

Mike Adamson, chief executive of the British Red Cross, said: “The attack in London Bridge and people enjoying a Saturday night out with friends was an attack on the spirit of London. We want to encourage people to come together and unite at this difficult time.

“The new UK Solidarity Fund will support victims of the attacks and their families, and provide a way for people to donate to help those affected in their time of need.

“We will do all we can to help the victims and their families, wherever they are and whoever they are, in keeping with the Red Cross principles of humanity, unity and neutrality.

“The events in our two great British cities in the last two weeks are shocking and horrifying. We stand together with those affected.”

Victims of London attack to receive first grants from UK Solidarity Fund

The UK Solidarity Fund was established following the attack in London last weekend for “people affected by terror attacks anywhere in the UK when they occur” with donations going to “alleviate immediate suffering and ensure that victims and their families do not face short-term financial difficulties”.

A spokeswoman for the charity said that, given the success of the Manchester Emergency Fund in responding to the 22 May attack, it anticipated that victims of the London Bridge attack would be the first to receive grants from the UK Solidarity Fund.

Grants will be awarded by the London Emergencies Trust, which the British Red Cross said “mirrors a model that was successful employed following the London Bombings in July 2005 and after the Westminster attack in March”. 

 

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