Comic Relief

We welcome the news that the government has agreed to extend the 'move on' period and the real impact this could have the crisis of refugee homelessness. Read the full statement for more information.

We’re immensely proud to announce that together, Comic Relief and Amazon are committing a further £6 million into The Multibank Fund over the next four years, with £4 million invested by Amazon and £2 million donated by Comic Relief. This will help facilitate the expansion and long-term sustainability of Multibanks across the UK. On Tuesday we were honored to be part of a very special reception, hosted by the United States Ambassador to Britian, Jane D. Hartley to mark this announcement and showcase the vital work carried out by Multibanks.    A Multibank is a clothes, bedding, baby, hygiene, toy and furniture bank all rolled into one. It puts business surplus in the hands of those who need it most through a network of local charities and care professionals. These are essential goods that many of us simply take for granted, but are out of reach for households that are struggling. They’re an opportunity for families to live in a decent home, for kids to go to school in new clothes, for people to not worry about buying basic toiletries.   If you or your organisation are interested in supporting us with the expansion of the multibank initiative, please email partnerships@comicrelief.com to find out how or for more information 📧

We are proud to partner once again with The London Standard for our Winter Campaign. Our CEO, Samir Patel says: "This winter over 300,000 people in the UK will face the bitter cold, without a place to sleep or call home. Many have lost everything — be it their home, safety or even loved ones — and spend every day full of fear and in urgent need of food and warmth. With your help, we can offer people support for a new beginning. Our joint appeal will provide safe accommodation, urgent food, essentials such as bedding, mental health support, and travel tickets so a young person who is seeking asylum or experiencing homelessness is able to get to school or a hospital appointment.” Donate today at: https://lnkd.in/exSAyaQg By supporting Comic Relief, you're giving someone more than just a warm coat or a hot meal. You're giving them the comfort of knowing that they matter, that someone cares. Because when people are safe in their home, they can put down roots with all the belonging and joy it brings.

A massive Thank You to our amazing suppliers, from Billy Monger and all of us on the Comic Relief team. Without you, Billy’s Ironman challenge would not have been possible. We captured this message with Billy during his training sessions (Pre-Kona!) but can now confirm that, with your help, Billy raised a jaw-dropping amount of money to make a real difference to those in poverty in the UK and around the world. There is still time to find out more about Billy’s challenge and donate here: https://bit.ly/billy_li Canyon Bicycles GmbH, SRAM, LLC, HUUB Design, Ekoï, TriDot, Precision Fuel & Hydration, Dorset Orthopaedic Ottobock.care, Össur, DHL Express UK, Zwift, and the Weir Archer Academy.

This #BlackHistoryMonth, we’re proud to spotlight Imkaan, a Black and minoritised UK-based organisation committed to addressing all forms of violence against Black and minoritised women and girls. In the wake of this summer’s far-right riots, Imkaan has worked tirelessly to reclaim the narrative for Black women, providing safe spaces for healing and mobilising action to challenge racism, Islamophobia, and xenophobia. Our emergency funding has helped Imkaan bring together their frontline member organisations, offering support to women and girls directly affected by the violence. These spaces allowed them to voice their fears, strategise for safety, and push for accountability from those in power. Imkaan continues to empower Black and minoritised women, reclaiming their stories and fighting for justice all year round, not just during Black History Month. We are proud to be part of this journey. Visit https://www.imkaan.org.uk/ for more information.

We are so proud of our partnership with Sainsbury's and the important work we’re doing together through our Nourish the Nation programme, to ensure that children have access to good food during the school holidays. We know that this can be a particularly challenging time for many families experiencing food poverty and were pleased to join Baroness Boycott in the House of Lords to discuss the importance of the Government led Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme and how Sainsbury’s and Comic Relief are working together to support this programme to ensure more children are able to access healthy and nutritious meals during the school holidays.

October 17th is the United Nation’s annual #DayForTheEradicationOfPoverty. Comic Relief are proud, as always, to champion our vision of a just world free from poverty.

This #KinshipCareWeek we would like to shine a light on the fantastic work from Kinship.   Kinship's work helps kinship carers feel less isolated and more empowered, supporting them to come together as part of a community and build their skills and confidence to create positive change across society - so that life can be better for all families. Comic Relief are delighted to have supported Kinship in raising much needed awareness of kinship care and helping kinship carers campaign for the support that they so desperately need. #ThisIsKinshipCare

As Comic Relief heads into its 40th year, we are seeking a Chair and two new Trustees to help to drive us forward. At the heart of it, the “what” remains the same — delivering a just world, free from poverty — but the “how” is changing in order to respond to changing fundraising dynamics, grant-making dynamics and story-telling opportunities that are generated by the people we seek to support and impact. Our Board of Trustees bring a diversity of skills, experience and expertise who can turn those opportunities into reality. We are looking for individuals who will help ensure that Comic Relief keeps its place as a leading, iconic, global charity that has a special place in the hearts and laughs of the great British people — and most importantly, changes lives for the better as a result. If this sounds like you – we’d love to hear from you. Find out more at: https://lnkd.in/e5_wHrFM

The Comic Relief team is thrilled to have won two prestigious Charity Times Awards! 🏆 Charity Leader of the Year – A huge congratulations to our CEO, Samir Patel, for his outstanding leadership and dedication to helping this organisation pivot towards the future. We appreciate him so much, and he is truly deserving of this award. 🏆 Charity with the Best Social Media Presence – We are incredibly proud to be recognised for our Social Media presence. A big thank you to our partners at TikTok for helping us push the boundaries of charity comms. Both achievements are a testament to the hard work, creativity, and passion of everyone at Comic Relief – and, of course, to our amazing partners and supporters. As we head into our 40th year, we’d like to say - we’re only getting started - onwards!