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The Independent
3 hours ago
- General
- The Independent
Joanne Froggatt among signatories calling on Government to take action on Sudan
Downton Abbey star Joanne Froggatt is among dozens of famous faces who have called on the UK Government to take 'rapid action' and provide humanitarian aid to Sudan. Froggatt is among 50 high-profile people from TV, film, music and sport who have signed an open letter led by children's charity Plan International UK which calls on the Prime Minister to tackle the crisis in Sudan by maintaining funding commitments after announcing a cut in the foreign aid budget. The letter, which was also signed by Warfare's Will Poulter, Bridgerton actress Adjoa Andoh and singer-songwriter Cat Burns, will be delivered to 10 Downing Street on Monday alongside a petition signed by more than 8,500 members of the public. Froggatt said: 'Millions of children have been forced into dangerous, overcrowded camps both within and beyond Sudan. These are not safe places for such young lives. 'Children's lives are now characterised by danger and death as hunger and disease spread while the violence rages on. 'They are suffering in silence. We need to draw attention to this crisis and demand rapid action from the UK Government. By talking about Sudan we can save children's lives.' Since the outbreak of the civil war in April 2023, Sudan has topped the International Rescue Committee's (IRC) Emergency Watchlist, which analyses countries that are most likely to experience a new or worsening humanitarian crisis, for a second consecutive year. The IRC has also described it as 'the largest and fastest displacement crisis in the world' and the 'largest humanitarian crisis on record'. England footballer Lucy Bronze, director Sir Steve McQueen and musician Peter Gabriel have also added their names to the open letter alongside TV cook Delia Smith and boxer Ramla Ali. The letter reads: 'Following over two years of violent conflict, Sudan is now the world's largest humanitarian crisis, with half of the country's population – a staggering 24.6 million people – already facing high levels of acute food insecurity. 'Time is quickly running out. Violence, starvation and disease are killing more and more children every day. The UK Government must do all it can to help save lives before it is too late.' Burns, who is known for her hit song Go, added: 'What's happening in Sudan is devastating. 'Children are being torn from their homes, going hungry, and living through horrors no one should ever face. 'We can't turn away or stay quiet. The world needs to act before even more lives are lost.' The letter also urges the Government to increase international pressure and mediation to ensure a ceasefire as well as providing emergency funding and scaling up mutual aid groups. Poulter, who is known for We're The Millers and The Maze Runner, said: 'The stories about the scale of starvation coming out of Sudan are utterly heart-breaking. 'The situation is quickly escalating into one of the worst famines ever recorded. 'With such an extreme shortage of food, immediate action is needed now to save lives and prevent further suffering. We can't let children and their families in Sudan starve to death.' The letter is supported by a coalition of aid organisations, including the chief executives of Cafod, Save the Children UK, Action Against Hunger, Christian Aid, and leading Sudanese campaigners. Mohamed Kamal, country director for Plan International Sudan, said: 'The sheer scale of the suffering being endured by people in Sudan is almost impossible to comprehend. 'Two years of brutal fighting, severe restrictions on the delivery of life-saving aid and a near-total collapse of the food supply across the country has caused a humanitarian catastrophe on a scale the world hasn't witnessed in generations. 'With every day that passes, more and more children face the unacceptable risk of death from extreme hunger, war and disease. Turning our backs on them would be utterly inhumane.' A spokesperson from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: 'As the Foreign Secretary said, Sudan is suffering one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes on record, which is why we convened leaders from around the world in April to strengthen support for the Sudanese people. 'The UK is doing all we can to provide aid, and last month announced £120 million to support over 650,000 Sudanese people in desperate need. 'The number of people who need help will rise if the warring parties continue to show an appalling disregard for human life by blocking aid routes that must be kept open, accessible and safe.'
BreakingNews.ie
3 days ago
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Homeless figures hit ‘shocking' all-time high of more than 15,500
The number of people in emergency homeless accommodation across Ireland has increased to a record of 15,580, according to the latest Government figures. The data shows that 10,805 adults and 4,775 children were accessing emergency accommodation during the last full week of April. Advertisement In general, the number of people accessing emergency accommodation has been steadily increasing from approximately 8,000 in mid-2021. The statistics do not include people sleeping rough, couch-surfing or homeless in hospitals or prisons, or those who are in shelter for asylum seekers or domestic violence centres. Mike Allen, director of advocacy at Focus Ireland, said the figures show the 'Government's current approach to homelessness is failing'. He said: 'With the introduction of the new Housing Plan, the incoming minister has a vital opportunity to reset the policy. We have outlined our evidence-based recommendations in a detailed submission to support this change. Advertisement 'It is totally unacceptable that there's a record number of 4,775 children homeless as we approach summer. 'This should be a carefree time for children as they look forward to school holidays and the longer evenings. 'Instead of this, the harsh reality for many children who are homeless is that they are studying for exams while living in family hubs or hotels without anywhere suitable to even do their homework.' The Simon Communities of Ireland urged the Government to 'act decisively' on homelessness. Advertisement Ber Grogan, executive director of the organisation, said: 'This is the highest level of homelessness Ireland has ever seen, and it's unacceptable. 'Behind every number is a person – a family, a child, a life in crisis. We are pleading with Government leaders and local authorities to act decisively before this emergency becomes completely irreversible.' The organisation said there should be 'real investment' in prevention. 'On top of the rising numbers, we're now facing unacceptable constraints on our ability to respond. Advertisement 'In certain areas, there is no funding for second-hand housing acquisitions under tenant in situ (TIS) or the Homeless Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS). 'We are deeply concerned that these decisions will result in reduced supply and increased vulnerability for those already most at risk.' The Dublin rough sleeper count for spring, carried out over the week of March 31st to April 6th, was published earlier this month and showed a decrease in rough sleeping since winter and spring 2024. The number of individuals engaged with by outreach teams during the week was 121, a decrease of 13 (9.7 per cent) on winter 2024 when 134 were found to be rough sleeping during November 4th-10th week. Advertisement It represents a decrease of seven (5.5 per cent) on the spring 2024 count carried out in the week of April 8th-14th. Sinn Fein housing spokesman Eoin O Broin TD said the Government must 'urgently fund vital homeless services and reverse recent funding cuts'. 'The latest increase is shocking but not surprising. It is a stain on this Government and our society. Ireland Majority of spending on homelessness directed towa... Read More 'We cannot allow ourselves to accept this as normal. We must continue to be outraged by the fact that so many children are forced into emergency accommodation due to Government decisions. 'It is clear that we need urgent emergency action to tackle this crisis. Government must immediately reverse the funding cuts to vital homeless supports such as Housing First and the tenant-in-situ scheme. 'It is time to get feet on the street and put as much pressure on Government to take emergency action now to tackle the housing and homeless crises.'
Irish Times
3 days ago
- General
- Irish Times
Homelessness reaches another record high, with 15,500 in emergency accommodation
The number of homeless people has climbed to more than 15,500 – another record high – including 4,775 children, the latest data shows. Figures published on Friday by the Department of Housing reveal 15,580 people were living in emergency accommodation during the week of April 21st to 27th. This represents an 11 per cent increase on figures from April last year, when there were 14,010 destitute people. The numbers do not include people sleeping rough, sofa-surfing, in domestic violence refuges or who have been granted international protection but remain stuck in direct provision because they cannot access housing. They show there were 7,031 single adults in emergency accommodation last month, up 9 per cent in a year. In Dublin there were 11,211 people in homelessness accommodation, including 3,559 children and 4,892 single adults. READ MORE Mike Allen, director of advocacy with Focus Ireland said the new record shows the Government's 'current approach to homelessness is failing'. He said it is 'totally unacceptable' that there is a record number of 4,775 children homeless as we approach summer. 'This should be a carefree time for children as they look forward to school holidays and the longer evenings. Instead of this, the harsh reality for many children who are homeless is that they are studying for exams while living in family hubs or hotels without anywhere suitable to even do their homework,' he said. The Salvation Army said its family hubs are now 'conveyor belts' of desperate families seeking accommodation. Though families using its services in Dublin have made the move to independent living in recent months, 'immediately, other families are waiting to replace them,' said Erene Williamson, the charity's lead.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Beautiful moments fill our home because we became foster parents
When my husband and I first considered fostering, we saw it as an opportunity to open our home and share our love with children in need. We had always planned on having kids, but when our timeline didn't go as expected, we chose to take a different path — one that would forever change our lives and provide a loving home for two young children. New to the fostering world, we turned to Anna's House Foundation for guidance. Our journey began in November 2023 with a simple phone call. The process required training, home evaluations and a whole bunch of paperwork. Without the help of Anna's House, I admit we couldn't have done it on our own; we would've gotten lost. The agency broke everything down into manageable steps, provided personal guidance and ensured we understood everything we needed to know before fostering. Just 60 days after starting the process, our home was officially open to foster children. It wasn't long before we received our first placement call — two siblings. The moment they arrived, our world shifted. Every day since has been a journey of milestones and adjustments. From experiencing the baby's first steps to throwing our first birthday celebration — beautiful moments that filled our home with excitement and happiness. It was especially heartwarming to see our family and extended relatives open their hearts and shower the babies with love and attention in just a short amount of time. More: Fall of Saigon, 50 years later: For one refugee, it was a dad's love, mom's sacrifice Fostering has brought great joy, but it also has brought unexpected realities. Initially we believed the children would reunite with their biological parents down the road, many do. However, we later learned that the state had planned to terminate parental rights. We had to quickly adjust our hearts and minds to a new possibility of a forever family. The support from Anna's House has been unwavering through every uncertainty and challenge. The staff was always available to answer questions, walk us through training and provide reassurance when the process felt overwhelming. If it weren't for them, we would have missed so many pieces. Fostering is an ongoing, incredible journey. My hope is that more families open their hearts and homes to foster. For families interested in fostering, my advice is this: Work with an agency, go in with as few expectations as possible and hold everything with open hands. At the end of the day, your job is to love these kids and give them stability. Lauren Graybill is a community volunteer and foster parent living in Edmond, Oklahoma. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Becoming foster parents filled our home with happiness | Opinion
