The UK’s generosity has been praised after £55 million was donated to relief efforts in Ukraine in just 24 hours.
The Disasters Emergency Committee said it was an ‘astonishing show of support’ for people whose lives have been upturned by the war.
Hundreds of thousands of people contributed within just a few hours – including the Queen.
The charity confirmed she made a ‘generous donation’ along with Prince Charles and Prince William.
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The total figure includes £20 million donated by the government as part of its UK Aid Match initiative – the largest commitment ever made to a DEC appeal through the scheme.
Chief executive Saleh Saeed said: ‘We are extremely grateful for the huge generosity of everyone in the UK who has donated to the DEC appeal.
‘We are also very grateful for the generous support of the royal family.
‘We also thank the UK Government, who have matched pound for pound the first £20 million donated by the public, as well as our broadcast partners and celebrities for having aired and joined the appeal, reaching millions of viewers and listeners.’
Tesco also announced on Friday that it will donate £1 million to the Red Cross, one of the DEC member charities, to help it respond to the crisis on the ground.
Chief executive Jason Tarry also pledged to establish a scheme whereby every pound donated by a customer will be matched by the supermarket up to a further £1 million.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation Foundation launched an international health appeal with a target of £43.2 million needed to deliver urgent healthcare to those in Ukraine as well as refugees.
The UN refugee agency says one million have already left Ukraine and that number is set to climb.
Vladimir Putin’s hopes of a short war appear to be dead and the country has settled into a long and grinding fight for survival.
Civilian areas have been shelled indiscriminately and thousands of innocent people have lost their lives.
If the current rate of displacement continues, the UN has warned the refugee crisis will surpass the one created by the Syrian Civil War.
You can donate to the appeal by clicking here.
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