Press release -
Post Office supports the Disasters Emergency Committee’s Ukraine humanitarian appeal
The Post Office today announces that anyone who wants to donate to the Disasters Emergency Committee’s (DEC) fundraising campaign to help refugees from Ukraine can do so at a Post Office.
All 11,500 Post Offices nationwide are now accepting donations by cash or card, to make it as easy as possible for people up and down the country to donate. Customers can also post a cheque to the charity. Every pound donated will be matched by the government up to a total of £20m. In addition, the Post Office is encouraging giving via in-store posters that have been made available to Postmasters, and social media.
The DEC, which is an umbrella group for 15 UK charities, will use the funds to provide food, water and medical assistance to refugees fleeing Ukraine – who currently number over one million.
As the DEC says on its website: “Heavy fighting, shelling and air strikes across Ukraine continue to have devastating consequences for ordinary people. Homes have been destroyed or are unsafe to live in. Essential services have been hit. Families have been separated. People have been injured. Lives have been lost. Three quarters of a million people have fled the country in recent days, and many more have had to leave their homes to escape the fighting.”
The DEC campaign will run for 14 days through to 23:59 Wednesday 16th March 2022 but the appeal will remain open for donations beyond this for at least 6 months.
Nick Read, Chief Executive at the Post Office, said:
“I, and so many others, continue to watch the news and the terrible suffering with absolute horror. We’re committed to helping, and that’s why we are accepting donations in all 11,500 Post Offices to make it as easy as possible for people to support.
“The DEC’s fundraising efforts are helping to provide much needed food, water, shelter and medical help to people fleeing Ukraine and we encourage everyone to donate what they can to support these efforts, and have made posters available to Postmasters to raise awareness of this campaign in their branches.”
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About the Post Office
- With over 11,500 branches, Post Office has the biggest retail network in the UK, with more branches than all the banks and building societies combined.
- Post Office is helping anyone who wants cash to get it whichever way is most convenient. Partnership with over 30 banks, building societies and credit unions means that 99% of UK bank customers can access their accounts at their Post Office.
- Cash withdrawals, deposits and balance enquiries can be made securely and conveniently over the counter at any Post Office; and the biggest investment by any organisation or company in the last decade is being made to safeguard 1,400 free-to-use ATMs across the UK.
- Post Office is simplifying its proposition for Postmasters with a focus on itscash and banking; mails and parcels; foreign exchange; andbill paymentsservices.
- Researchhas found that visits to the Post Office help drive another 400 million visitors to other shops, restaurants and local businesses equating to an estimated £1.1 billion in additional revenue for High Street businesses.
- 99.7% of the population live within three miles of a Post Office; and 4,000 branches are open seven days a week.
