The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met charity workers as donations to the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal exceed £300 million.
Prince William and his wife Catherine went to the Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC)’s London headquarters to talk to staff who had recently been in Ukraine and are involved with the appeal.
They also gained an insight into life on the ground in Ukraine, chatting to a Christian Aid partner there via video link about how aid is reaching those in need.
The DEC is made up of 15 leading UK aid charities which respond at times of crisis overseas to raise funds quickly and efficiently.
The visit came as the 13 member charities of the DEC that are responding to the crisis laid out their plans for their response over the first six months.
Vanessa Maynard, Programmes and Operations Officer for Christian Aid, who was at the DEC’s offices, told the Duke and Duchess about how local partners are helping, including providing baby incubators to a hospital in western Ukraine.
She said: “We’re helping integrate refugees by supporting them with group cash so they can decide for themselves what they most need, like buying nappies, paying rent for the lodgings in host communities - or even pet food as many have fled with their animals as they couldn’t bear to leave without them.
“We’re also providing them with hot meals, temporary rest in community centres, safe spaces for children to receive trauma care, and information on their rights when they arrive in the host countries.”
Fundraising efforts for the appeal are continuing with donations coming in from individuals, companies, schools and arts organisations. The £300 million total includes £25 million of matched funding from the UK Government.
