25 May 2017 – H&M UK has raised a staggering £1million to help vulnerable children around the world by donating its customer plastic bag charges to Unicef UK.
Since the 5p plastic bag charge was introduced in 2015, H&M has donated the money to Unicef UK’s Children’s Emergency Fund, which helps children caught up in life-threatening emergencies.
The £1million has helped Unicef provide life-saving services and support to children who need it most, whether they face conflict, malnutrition, disease, economic crises or natural disasters.
Commenting on the amount raised, Kate Goldman-Toomey, Director of Partnerships and Philanthropy at Unicef UK, said: “At a time when children are facing so many crises around the world from conflicts to food crises in places like Yemen and South Sudan, the donation of £1 million from H&M UK has enabled Unicef to carry out vital work to ensure that vulnerable children can survive and thrive. We want to extend a big thank you to H&M UK and its customers for supporting our work.”
Nyapour, 9, from South Sudan is just one of these children. When conflict came to her village, she was forced to flee with her mother to safety. Explaining what this was like she said, “I was very frightened by the war. I saw so many people wounded and men shooting guns, it was very bad.” Now, however, with the support of partners like H&M, Nyapour is attending a Unicef supported school in a safe area and says she feels safe and that her favourite subject is maths.
The donation of carrier bag charges by H&M to Unicef UK is part of a wider global partnership that since 2004 has raised approximately $22 million for Unicef’s programmes for children. From education, water and sanitation and child protection, H&M has contributed to Unicef’s work in countries like Ethiopia, Myanmar and South Africa and has also activated till point donations for Unicef UK’s Nepal Earthquake and Philippines Typhoon Haiyan emergency appeals . More recently, Unicef’s partnership with the H&M Foundation is supporting a global effort in early childhood development and education, enabling children to get the best possible start in life.
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Photo detailing the impact of Unicef UK and H&M’s Partnership are available.
For more information please contact:
Unicef UK Media Team, 0207 375 6030, [email protected]
About Unicef
Unicef is the world’s leading organisation for children, promoting the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.
Unicef UK raises funds to protect children in danger, transform their lives and build a safer world for tomorrow’s children. As a registered charity we raise funds through donations from individuals, organisations and companies and we lobby and campaign to keep children safe. Unicef UK also runs programmes in schools, hospitals and with local authorities in the UK. For more information please visit unicef.org.uk