The Independent’s Christmas appeal hits £3.5m as Rita Ora calls on people to donate

The Independent’s Christmas Appeal today passed the £3.5m mark thanks to a £250,000 donation from philanthropists Julia and Hans Rausing, and as Rita Ora called on people to “get behind” our campaign to help people “living in fear” this winter.

The chart-topping singer-songwriter backed our On the Breadline initiative in partnership with Comic Relief and our sister title the Evening Standard and said: “It’s heartbreaking that one in three children in the UK are currently living in poverty and that many families are having to go without basic necessities.

“People should not be living in fear of what this winter might bring for them and their kids. To help make a difference, please join me in getting behind the On The Breadline appeal and donate if you are able.”

The Rausings said they were moved by our stories of people struggling under the cost of living crisis, adding: “On the Breadline’s partnership with Comic Relief is a campaign that strikes at the heart of the cost of living crisis which is why we are supporting this Christmas appeal.

“It is crucial that we all come together to help the vulnerable this winter and urge others to support where they can.”

This is the fourth consecutive year that the British couple have announced significant Christmas donations to causes supporting the most vulnerable. Last month the couple donated £10m to food banks across the UK to help tackle the growing food poverty crisis and in total have donated over £330m to more than 1,000 organisations.

Their donation follows other six-figure donations from Sainsbury’s, Neptune Energy, Amazon, British Airways, eBay, the TK Maxx and Homesense Foundation, the Westminster Foundation and Grant Gordon, founder of The Childhood Trust, in addition to a £1m pledge from Comic Relief.

The money we have raised will go to organisations in London and across the UK working to help people on the breadline cope with the cost of living crisis.