DEC launches UK-wide TV appeal presented by Joanna Lumley
Joanna Lumley is to front an emergency UK-wide charity appeal to help survivors in disaster-hit Nepal.
The TV star and humanitarian activist will appear in a TV advert organised by the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) to be shown tonight (28 April) by all major UK broadcasters including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky.
The DEC’s Nepal Earthquake Appeal brings together 13 leading UK aid charities and hopes to raise millions for the region in a short space of time.
Lumley says in the appeal: “Like so many others watching the shocking images from Nepal over the last few days, I’m deeply saddened by events and my thoughts are with all those struggling to survive.
“The Nepalese are a resilient people but this catastrophe has hit them very hard.
"They’re desperately in need of life-saving help and I hope British people will support us.”
They’re desperately in need of life-saving help and I hope British people will support us - Joanna Lumley
Nepal is a country close to the Absolutely Fabulous star’s heart.
Her father served in the 6th Gurkha Rifles and, in 2008 she became the public face of the Gurkha Justice Campaign to grant Gurkhas - who are Nepalese but have fought for the British army - the right to settle in Britain.
The first £5 million of public donations to the DEC Nepal Earthquake Appeal will be matched by UK aid.
Saleh Saeed, DEC's chief executive, said: “The sheer scale of this emergency and the effort required to help the people of Nepal recover is only now becoming clear.
“Survivors are in need of medical help, food, water and shelter. In many cases they’ve lost everything and our members are ready to help them not just survive but to rebuild their lives.”
Meanwhile, Scottish charity Glasgow the Caring City is sending over engineers to the country to see what help they can provide.
It has also sent over supplies of soap and says it will assess the situation further to see what more it can do to assist in the region.
To make a donation to the Nepal Earthquake Appeal visit http://www.dec.org.uk, call the 24 hour hotline on 0370 60 60 900, donate over the counter at any high street bank or post office, or send a cheque.
You can also donate £5 by texting the word SUPPORT to 70000.