A-list supporters helped War Child smash its original £300,000 coronavirus fundraising target, raising £500,000 for children whose lives have been torn apart by war and the pandemic, the charity said.
In six weeks, 87 high-profile figures from the arts and entertainment industries donated more than 100 prizes or experiences which were then auctioned off as part of its coronavirus crowdfunder.
After 6 amazing weeks, our crowdfunder has come to an end. We are thrilled to announce that we raised a massive £500,000! Thank you to everyone who supported the campaign. You have made a real difference to children and their families facing coronavirus in conflict zones.🖤 pic.twitter.com/Ci9cSX2nYa
— War Child UK (@WarChildUK) September 3, 2020
They included a private video call with Louis Tomlinson that crashed the website due to popular demand, a once-in-a-lifetime stunt experience with Vanessa Kirby and the Mission Impossible stunt team and a private concert from Marcus Mumford.
The £500,000 raised will allow War Child to continue its life-saving work for children living through conflict and the pandemic in countries such as Yemen, Afghanistan, Iraq, Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo, War Child said.
Carey Mulligan, global ambassador for War Child UK, said: “I’d like to express my heartfelt thanks to every single person who contributed in any way to this effort.
“With your help, War Child’s coronavirus crowdfunder exceeded its initial goal by £200,000, and can now help to provide crucial support to even more families by supplying them with not only essential information on Covid-19, but lifesaving hygiene kits containing soap, hand sanitiser, masks, and towels.”