Brands back Save the Children refugee appeal
Leading brands are backing a refugee appeal issued by Save the Children which has raised more than £3m in donations from businesses and the public in just two weeks.
Contributions include a £1m lump sum from Visa Europe which is also encouraging its employees to back the cause through a charity bike ride next week.
Elsewhere Uber drivers collected five and a half tube carriages worth of donated items from around the UK for re-sale in Save the Children stores whilst Google.com has given over its homepage to support the Child Refugee Crisis appeal, pledging to match all donations up to €5million.
Starbucks meanwhile has chipped in £48,500 and is encouraging all its customers to give what they can in-store whilst IKEA is urging co-workers in the UK and Ireland to ‘work a day for free’ and donate their salary to the cause.
For its part the Swarovski Foundation has launched a global staff fundraising drive and GSK has given £150k and initiated a staff appeal for individual donations which will be match funded.
Save the Children will use the cash to protection and support to children fleeing their homes and seeking refuge in Europe as well as those who remain in war-ravaged countries such as Syria.