08 February 2013
Newsdesk
Anti-poverty charity ActionAid is launching the first ever Global Emergencies Week, helping bands, DJs and musicians to save lives the next time an earthquake, flood or tsunami hits.
The week, which runs from 18 to 24 February, will see gigs, DJ nights and other fundraising events taking place all over the UK to raise money for ActionAid’s emergency preparedness work around the world.
Because it forms part of the charity’s wider Ready for Anything appeal, every donation made throughout the week by bands, DJs and gig-goers in the UK will be automatically doubled by the government, helping to save twice as many lives. Stars involved include The Wombats, Enter Shikari and The Subways.
Last year, ActionAid launched the emergency music fundraising network ActionAid Live, in which bands could sign up to help the charity during the next big emergency: Emergencies Week is the first time ActionAid Live has been kicked into action.
ActionAid Live is supported by the likes of Huw Stephens, Enter Shikari, The Wombats, Everything Everything, Hadouken!, Metronomy and The Subways.
Emergencies are becoming more frequent and growing in intensity. Between 250 and 300 million people are affected by disasters and conflicts every year, but this is expected to rise significantly. By 2015, the number of people affected by climate-related disasters alone is set to reach 375 million. Natural disasters hit the poorest people hardest – those who survive the initial disaster are left with their lives destroyed. Although not always in the news, flooding presents a regular and serious threat to people living in poor countries – but it is a threat which can be mitigated with help.
The wider Ready for Anything campaign runs from 4 February to 3 May, and every donation made by people in the UK will be doubled by the government, helping twice as many people. Donations from the campaign, which has a target of £1.1 million, will go to disaster preparedness programmes across countries including Malawi, Burma (Myanmar), Afghanistan and Nepal, helping thousands of the world’s poorest people prepare to survive the next disaster.
To find out more about Emergencies Week and make a donation, visit www.actionaid.org.uk/emergenciesweek
