The Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) brings together 15 leading UK aid charities to raise funds and urgent appeals for humanitarian crises overseas. BCW UK has worked closely with DEC since 2021 on two major appeals – to support those at risk of starvation in Afghanistan and support those affected by the conflict in Ukraine.
Drought and economic collapse have pushed millions of people in Afghanistan to the brink of famine and the situation remains dire. Intense conflict is threatening the lives and livelihoods of civilians across Ukraine, with millions of people displaced inside the country.
BCW’s role:
BCW's Corporate and Public Affairs team supported the DEC press office team to announce the launch of the two urgent appeals. BCW coordinated international press conferences, supported crises planning for live aid concerts, briefed DEC spokespeople on media opportunities, engaged with charity partners and stakeholders, and worked with top-tier national and international media to spread the urgent call to action.
Results:
The Ukraine appeal broke a Guinness World Record of the Most Money Raised by an Online Campaign in One Week of nearly £62 million. @decappeal #UkraineAppeal trended number one on Twitter and created more than 70,000 engagements over 24 hours. So far £350 million has been raised for Ukraine.
For both campaigns, coverage was secured across all national titles and broadcast stations, including BBC Breakfast, ITV News, and Good Morning Britain. The Afghanistan appeal raised over £30 million in the first month alone and is still rising.
BCW worked on the Ukraine appeal on a pro bono basis.