Humbled by your generosity: As your Mail Force cheques arrive, it’s clear your kindness knows no bounds with more than 10,000 so far – worth up to £400,000. On behalf of the NHS and care staff who will benefit, we salute you all
- NHS medical director Professor Stephen Powis – ‘To raise £1 million in just a few days is incredible’
- Moved by the challenges facing our over-worked health workers, more than 25,000 pledged to Mail Force
- Sackfuls of letters from readers turned up, containing over 10,000 cheques
- Dame Vera Lynn paid a heartfelt tribute to Mail Force’s ‘wonderful achievement’
Whenever we’ve asked for your help, you’ve shown a magnanimous spirit.
But this time we are truly staggered by the generosity of Mail readers.
For only a week after the call went out to help alleviate the PPE crisis, your big-hearted donations have reached an astonishing £1 million.
Moved by the challenges facing our over-worked health workers, more than 25,000 of you have pledged money to Mail Force.
The charity – backed by the Daily Mail – is leading a campaign to make sure NHS and care staff have enough personal protective equipment on the coronavirus frontline.
Pictured: Daily Mail reporter Claire Duffin with the first batch of more than 10,000 readers’ letters and contributions
Sackfuls of letters from readers turned up yesterday, containing more than 10,000 cheques, along with heartfelt letters of support.
Among them were colourful greetings cards, postcards and beautifully handwritten notes – each expressing their gratitude to the NHS and care workers.
HERE’S HOW TO DONATE
Mail Force Charity has been launched with one aim to help support NHS staff, volunteers and care workers fight back against Covid-1 in the UK.
Mail Force is a separate charity established and supported by the Daily Mail and General Trust.
The money raised will fund essential equipment required by the NHS and care workers.
This equipment is vital in protecting the heroic staff whilst they perform their fantastic work in helping the UK overcome this pandemic.
If we raise more money than is needed for vital Covid-1 equipment, we will apply all funds to support the work of the NHS in other ways.
Click the button below to make a donation:
If the button is not visible, click here
In one heart-warming letter, Geoffrey King, of Surrey, wrote: ‘My wife and I were war babies and… experienced the horror of the bombings inflicted by Hitler. Ever since, we have to be eternally thankful that there are those who are prepared to enter the world of medicine and nursing, tending to our needs and offering solace and comfort when it is so sorely needed, particularly at times like these.’
Celia Perkins, from Bristol, wrote: ‘Thank you all for your great newspaper. You and your loyal readers always rise to the call. You get things done.’ Another donor added: ‘My grandson is an A&E doctor, thank you for protecting him.’
James Morgan, from Rochdale, said: ‘I am a 78-year-old pensioner who because of lockdown has a few bob to spare from my pension. So use it quickly to save lives.’
The cheques came from every corner of the UK, pledging donations from £5 to £2,000. Some gave generous portions of their pension, while others donated hundreds of pounds from their salaries and savings. Such was the overwhelming response, a team from the charity was still opening letters late into the night.
The mountain of cheques is still being counted, but is expected to reach at least £400,000. Online donations reached £625,000 last night, meaning the total from readers will exceed £1 million.
Your astonishing offerings, combined with contributions from philanthropists and corporate partners, has helped the fund to soar to more than £5.6 million. Thanks to gift aid, where charities reclaim tax to increase the value of donations, £150,000 can be added.
Pictured: Staff and residents of Croft House Care home in Eastburn, Keighley. ‘The charity – backed by the Daily Mail – is leading a campaign to make sure NHS and care staff have enough personal protective equipment on the coronavirus frontline’
NHS medical director Professor Stephen Powis said: ‘I know the importance to colleagues in the NHS – and social care – of feeling properly equipped so it is great that the Daily Mail and Mail Force have launched this campaign. To raise £1 million in just a few days is incredible. On behalf of myself and colleagues I would like to thank all those who have dug deep.’
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: ‘The response from Mail readers has been truly magnificent.’
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer added: ‘This is a fantastic achievement and I want to congratulate everyone involved in this inspirational campaign.’
Mail Force’s campaign began in earnest a week ago, when it flew an airliner packed with 20 tons of PPE from Shanghai to London. Thanks to the speed and scale of public support, plans are under way to bring in further airlifts of PPE.
Dame Vera sings praises for vital kit
Pictured: Dame Vera Lynn
Dame Vera Lynn yesterday paid a heartfelt tribute to Mail Force’s ‘wonderful achievement’.
Speaking ahead of the VE Day anniversary on Friday, the former Armed Forces’ Sweetheart saluted the enormous endeavour to get personal protective equipment to doctors, nurses and care staff on the frontline. She compared the NHS heroes of today to the soldiers of the Second World War.
Dame Vera, 103, said: ‘Congratulations to the Daily Mail for setting up this charity and what a wonderful achievement to have raised so much money so quickly.
‘Our NHS are like our soldiers were during the war on the frontline and any help we can give them is so important. My kindest regards to you all.’
On Friday, Dame Vera will lead a national singalong of We’ll Meet Again to commemorate the anniversary of VE Day.
She will throw open a window at her home in Ditchling, East Sussex, at 9pm and burst into song. As donations from Daily Mail readers soared past the £1million mark, there was also praise from a charity for blind veterans which Mail Force helped with vital PPE this week. The masks and coveralls delivered to a retirement home in Brighton mean its residents – who fought for our freedom against Hitler – will be able to commemorate VE Day together with their carers.
For some, it could be the last major VE Day anniversary they are a part of.
Last night Air Vice-Marshal Paul Luker, chairman of Blind Veterans UK, said: ‘The kindness of your readers has been humbling. Last weekend our charity was the recipient of vital PPE, delivered to our door by Mail Force. Not only has this support been essential for continuing to care properly for our veterans and staff, but it has also made it possible for them to commemorate VE Day together at our centre on Friday.
‘I cannot overstate how important this is to them. None of this would have been possible without the provision of this much-needed equipment. Thank you Mail Force. Thank you Daily Mail readers. Thank you Daily Mail.’
When Mail Force dropped off the crucial PPE supplies, 98-year-old Jim Hooper, a former staff sergeant in the Glider Pilot Regiment, who had feared he would have to remember fallen comrades alone in his room, said: ‘This really is first class.’