‘Absolutely incredible’: Ukraine aid appeal raises £85m in two days

People are encouraged to donate money rather than clothes or food

The British public has helped to raise more than £85m to provide aid for Ukraine, in what charity bosses have described as an “absolutely incredible” display of solidarity with the besieged eastern European nation.

The announcement came after an appeal by the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) last week, in which the group’s CEO Saleh Saeed, advised people to give “cash through a reputable charity” rather than donated items.

“Trying to transport goods from here, the UK, thousands of miles to Ukraine will take a long time and may not be necessarily what people need when it arrives,” he said, adding the message from aid workers at the borders and inside the invaded nation is that money is what is needed.

The DEC – an umbrella organisation made up of 15 leading UK aid charities – has warned that support for Ukraine is likely to be needed for “months and years” and it urged people to keep donating.

Mr Saeed told BBC Breakfast on Thursday: “What we would advise is the things that people collect today here in the UK are not necessarily what people need tomorrow.

“That’s why we would urge, please donate cash through a reputable charity.”

Encouraging people to consider giving to the DEC appeal, he said the aid would reach the most vulnerable, including women and children who have fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries.

Following the public appeal, the DEC reported on Saturday that it had seen “an absolutely incredible response” to Mr Saeed’s message – and that more than £85m had now been raised.

The committee said “generous donations” had already been made to the appeal by members of the Royal Family – including the Queen, the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge – as well as £25m, so far, from the government.

“We’re grateful to everyone who is giving, organising events and helping to spread the word,” it said in a statement posted to its social media.

“Thank you so much for your generosity!”

A host of celebrities have been involved in highlighting the DEC appeal, with TV broadcasts by Trigger Point actor Adrian Lester and Game Of Thrones star Kit Harington, as well as commercial radio appeals voiced by Doctor Who star David Tennant.

The news comes as Boris Johnson unveiled his international six-point plan to ensure Russia fails in its invasion of Ukraine, and urged other leaders to endorse it.

It includes an international humanitarian coalition to help Ukraine’s civilians, support for the country’s self-defence capabilities and greater economic pressure being brought to bear on Vladimir Putin.

Downing Street released the plan days before Mr Johnson is due to sit down with the Canadian and Dutch prime ministers Justin Trudeau and Mark Rutte at Downing Street, where he will hammer home the proposal as the west’s best shot at defeating Mr Putin’s “hideous, barbarous assault”.

Additional reporting by PA