Christmas Jumper Campaign for Syrian children

Save the Children charity in Gibraltar is highlighting the plight of children forced to flee war torn Syria.

Families of refugees are in desperate need of food and clothing over Christmas, with frigid temperatures causing concerns about their health.

The local branch of Save the Children will organise its second Children Christmas Jumper Campaign, which will be held at the Piazza on 18 December.

“A huge slice of the cake will help children in Syria who have little to no food or clothing,” said Paul Lyon, Chairman of the STC Gibraltar branch.

“Sadly they are struggling to enter Syria, so the refugees in the neighbouring countries are the ones being helped.”

Mr Lyon said that the charity will use 89 pence of every pound for children with only 11 pence going towards administration costs.

“Many of the children suffer from malnutrition and £1 can but nine oral rehydration sachets. For children with serious cases of diarrhoea this will be a life saver,” he said.

Mr Lyon said that two years ago St Mary’s First School did a Christmas jumper campaign off its own back and was inspired to build on that.

“Last year we pushed the initiative and raised around £3,500 with 11 schools involved as well as numerous companies and firms,” he said. “We have several schools and companies that have committed to this campaign, but we could always do with more.”

The UK initiative started in 2012 with the charity active in over 120 countries and helping refugees wherever they have landed.

The chairman the local branch said that he remains ‘very weary’ of how much the charity can ask the general public to donate.

“We do not want to be greedy and abuse Gibraltar’s extremely charitable nature,” he said.

However, Mr Lyon encourages anyone who wished to get involved in the Christmas jumper campaign to give him a ring for more information on 54027052.

“I will be more than happy to run over with a collection tin for anyone who wishes to donate to the children in Syria,” he said.