Welcome to the Guardian and Observer refugee appeal blog.
This year we are supporting six charities that provide support and assistance for refugees. They are:
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Doctors of the World UK
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Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS)
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Refugee Council
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City of Sanctuary
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Red Cross
- Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, Melbourne
We’ve got off to a brilliant start, and in just the first couple of hours we’ve received over 50 donations and raised nearly £4,000.
One super-generous anonymous donor gave £1,000!
We’ll be keeping you regularly updated on the blog with the progress of the appeal.
Through videos, stories and photos we’ll tell you more about the work of our refugee charities, the people they work with and the volunteers and staff that keep them going.
We also want you, the reader, to be involved, and will curate some of your best and most moving comments. As Katharine Viner, the Guardian’s editor-in-chief, has written today:
Our appeal slogan is We Stand Together: a stand against intolerance, and fear; a stand for empathy and generosity. And a stand for clarity and perspective.
There’s already been some buzz around the appeal online, and social media users have been posting their thoughts. We’d love you to join in.
Love this! Guardian and Observer charity appeal 2015: refugees https://t.co/gfecykGnrg #WeStandTogether #HelpRefugees
— Sarah (@oheavensakes) November 24, 2015
Well done! #guardianandobserver brilliant journalism & deep compassion for the vulnerable https://t.co/5wo4w1tAA6 #refugeecrisis
— Harry Leslie Smith (@Harryslaststand) November 24, 2015
Last year, Guardian and Observer readers raised around £400,000 for mental health charities following the 2014 appeal, almost double the amount raised in the previous appeal. This year, with your help, we can raise even more.
So tell us what you think in the comments below, or get involved on Twitter (@SocietyGuardian) with the hashtag #WeStandTogether or send me your suggestions directly (@aishagani).
