How generous Sun readers have saved lives by backing our vital campaigns, from the Ukraine War to domestic abuse victims
THE past 12 months have seen hard times for all, with fuel shortages, soaring costs and war breaking out in Ukraine.
But even inflation hitting a 40-year high didn’t dent YOUR generosity.
Readers’ support has been vital to our many campaigns. To pay tribute to your remarkable efforts, Katy Docherty and Josh Saunders look back at just some of our appeals you supported over the past year . . .
UKRAINE FUND
AS the horror of the Ukraine conflict unfolded in February, you responded in your droves when The Sun launched the Ukraine Fund in March.
One beneficiary was mum-of-six Anya Lazarska, 30, from the Donetsk region.
Her youngest child Bogdan was “born under shellfire”.
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She, the baby and daughter Sofiya, 12, fled to the Unbroken Mothers refugee centre in Lviv, 44 miles east of the Polish border.
Money donated to the Ukraine Fund supports The British Red Cross, which has set up such safe havens. Anya said:
“Thank you to Sun readers who have love in their hearts.
“Donations have given me a safe place to stay with my baby.”
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Red Cross chief executive Mike Adamson said: “Your donations have helped provide medical supplies, health facilities, water supplies, food, warm drinks and shelter.”
GIVE IT BACK
OUR long-running campaign to see increased funding for families of disabled children saw an extra £48million pledged in January.
The sum was to cover more supported internship programmes for youngsters and 10,000 respite places for exhausted families.
The then children’s minister, Will Quince, said: “The Sun’s Give It Back campaign has made a massive difference, raising awareness and highlighting that some-times not every child gets the support they need.”
In June, the minister apologised to parents for letting them down.
Our campaign, run with the Disabled Children’s Partnership, began in 2019 and saw us hand-deliver responses to the Government’s review of special educational needs.
Mum Susie Marsh, from Surrey, came with her son Alex, who has complex needs.
She said: “My concern is that they’ll just lump groups of kids together.”
SPEAK OUT AGAINST DOMESTIC ABUSE
MEL B led the charge as The Sun and Women’s Aid partnered on campaign Speak Out Against Domestic Abuse.
The Spice Girl launched the initiative in August at the Leeds refuge that helped her after she walked out on husband Stephen Belafonte in 2017.
Speak Out is campaigning for extra funding for victims of domestic violence as the cost-of-living crisis hits refuges.
Mel also asked that the Victims Bill, going through Parliament now, makes a legal commitment to fund counselling and community support for survivors and that education on coercive control becomes mandatory.
In October, the campaign held a panel on domestic violence at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham.
Mel told MPs: “As a Spice Girl I’m the embodiment of girl power, and for ten years I was completely powerless over this man.”
MENOPAUSE MATTERS
OUR Fabulous lifestyle team began to take the taboo out of the menopause with this campaign.
Supported by celebrities and politicians alike, it asked for HRT to be made free on the NHS.
The campaign also asked companies to have a menopause policy – and big hitters such as PwC, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Santander readily signed up.
Celebs including Davina McCall and Gabby Logan have shared personal stories.
And in February, the Government’s Menopause Taskforce met for the first time.
A month later, Maria Caulfield MP said the civil service had signed up to The Sun’s charter, promising menopausal employees flexible working and time off for doctor’s appointments.
In 2023, the Government plans a single prescription charge of £18.70 for a 12-month supply of HRT, saving women up to £205 per year.
SQUEEZE TEAM
SINCE The Sun’s Squeeze Team launched in February, we’ve saved readers almost £80,000 by taking on companies to win back cash that is rightfully yours.
Our panel of consumer experts has also carried out taste tests to help you find the best value on the shelves and have dished out advice on all areas of personal finance.
In May, the team highlighted the £1billion women’s pension scandal and won back money for pensioners, including Celia Oxgang, 78.
She said: “I worry that other women in this situation might not even realise they are owed money or they may just give up trying because the Government makes it so difficult.”
In August, the team showed how customers could save £230 on broadband deals, leading the Government to set up a service making it easier for low-income customers to find cheaper tariffs.
JABS ARMY
WHEN The Sun first called for volunteers to help with the Covid vaccine rollout in 2021 a staggering 80,000 of you signed up.
And the campaign, run with Royal Voluntary Service, was still going strong when renewed calls were made this year.
In August, we extended the call-out to help find volunteers to run hospital trolley services, which sell papers, magazines, toiletries and snacks to patients.
The initiative was backed by Camilla, the Queen Consort, and West End legend Elaine Paige, who both joined The Sun’s Big Trolley Push at Leicester General Hospital.
Elaine told readers: “You don’t need any special skills and you certainly don’t need to sing to patients as I did.
“Your time and compassion are enough to brighten someone’s day.”
HELPING HANDS
FROM soapland to reality TV, The Sun’s celebrity readers have united for our Helping Hands At Christmas campaign to support the elderly and vulnerable at this time of year.
As part of our work with Royal Voluntary Service, we have seen Strictly judge Shirley Ballas host a festive brunch, ex-Towie star Joey Essex call bingo and Emmerdale’s Kelvin Fletcher help at a lunch club.
Readers have supported social clubs, driven those with mobility issues to appointments and made companionship calls.
Reader Paul Day, 53, from Wokingham, Berks, is one of those to join the army of Royal Voluntary Service volunteers.
He said: “I read The Sun every day, have done all my life. As soon as I saw it, I applied.
“It shows that The Sun is giving back. They are actually caring about this.”
WHO CARES WINS
READERS again rallied to celebrate the dedication of Britain’s front-line health heroes.
Our Who Cares Wins awards in November rewarded workers and volunteers across the spectrum, from pioneering surgeon Professor Simon Kay, who conducted Britain’s first hand transplant, to hospital cleaner and porter Ram Kurapati.
Our ceremony was hosted by Davina McCall and screened on Channel Four.
It was attended by boxer Anthony Joshua, chef Jamie Oliver and pop star Ellie Goulding.
King Charles III surprised Dr Freda Newlands, the winner of our Best Doctor award, by delivering her gong at his residence Dumfries House in Scotland.
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She is pictured with boxer Anthony.
Meanwhile, David Beckham visited the winners of our Best Team award who rescued 21 Ukrainian children with cancer and brought them for treatment at Great Ormond Street Hospital.