Public praised over Pakistan appeal

Charity chiefs leading the Pakistan appeal praised Britons' generosity (AP)
12 April 2012

The head of an aid appeal for flood-stricken Pakistan has praised the "extraordinary" generosity of the British public after donations topped £40 million.

Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) chief executive Brendan Gormley said the response was "unprecedented" after week-on-week donations soared by more than 70%.

More than £19.3 million was raised over the past week after £11.2 million was raised last week and £9.5 million was raised after the appeal was first broadcast on August 5. The Disasters Emergency Committee said it had never seen such a pattern of giving in its 45-year history.

Mr Gormley said: "This response really is unprecedented. Giving to all our appeals, including Haiti and the 2004 tsunami, saw huge initial donations decline steeply after the first week. We have never seen anything like this pattern of giving before.

"This belies all talk of donor fatigue. Growing awareness of the sheer scale of the disaster has seen the public continue to respond to the needs of people who are in dire need of help. Their generosity has been astounding.

"Sadly, for many who have yet to be reached, the situation is still at crisis point. Aid agencies are on the ground doing all they can to reach people, but support is needed for that work to continue. We cannot over-emphasise the need for more donations and the public's ongoing support if we are to continue saving lives."

The Pakistan floods have so far claimed more than 1,500 lives and have directly affected more than 17 million people, the appeal said. The DEC, an umbrella organisation representing 13 leading UK aid agencies including the British Red Cross, Oxfam and Save the Children, have so far reached more than 800,000 people.

Actor Ewan McGregor later launched a fresh call for help as he filmed an appeal for Pakistan's children with Unicef. Jemima Khan, Robbie Williams, David Beckham, Sir Roger Moore and TV host Cat Deeley are also supporting the campaign, Unicef said. Business advisory firm Deloitte later confirmed it had donated £1 million to the DEC appeal.

Mr Gormley said: "Although the majority of our funds are provided by individual members of the public, corporate and community support is also incredibly important. As well as making corporate donations, many companies have given their support to staff fundraising activities or matched individual donations made by employees. We would encourage others to follow their lead."

John Connolly, Deloitte senior partner and CEO, added: "The profound crisis facing Pakistan, the dreadful human impact of the devastating floods, have touched everyone at Deloitte. We want to show our support for the aid effort in a really meaningful way. We believe this is the right thing to do in the face of such an immense humanitarian crisis, especially given the many close connections between people in the UK and the people of Pakistan."

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