How You Can Get Involved

There's still time to join our DAY FOR UKRAINE.    Pick a day to wear BLUE AND YELLOW for the day and donate £1 to our appeal, if you can.  Schools across the UK have been joining in and sending First News their photos.  And the donations are still flooding in!

Other activities can be organised too, such as a sponsored WALK FOR UKRAINE. Bake sales always go down well, too, and are yummy ways to raise money. Don’t forget you can fundraise at home as well.

Share your photos with us so we can see all the amazing fundraising ideas you come up with!

Why We Launched our First News Ukraine Schools Appeal 

For sixteen years First News has been providing unbiased news and educational resources to schools and children at home. Since the start of the war in Ukraine we have been inundated with feedback from teachers, pupils and parents wondering how they can help.

We have launched our First News Ukraine Schools Appeal to raise valuable funds for the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC).

All funds raised from the Disasters Emergency Committee’s Ukraine appeal, supported by the First News Ukraine Schools Appeal, will help to supply urgent food, hygiene supplies and medical care to refugees and those trapped by the conflict. 

All monies schools donate to this appeal will go directly to the DEC’s work. 

Donated funds will help DEC member charities working in Ukraine and neighbouring countries to scale up their work, which also includes counselling, providing safe spaces for women and children and giving out dignity kits containing items such as period products and underwear.

The majority of the 1.7 million people who have fled Ukraine are children and women, in the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War, according to the UN.

Editor of First News, Nicky Cox MBE, says:

“We've been hearing from children that they feel helpless and hopeless and that they really want to do something to help and show their support for Ukraine.  I hope that together with all UK schools and their pupils we can help to raise the much-needed funds to support the extraordinary work of the DEC and its NGO partner organisations.”

"First News stands in solidarity with all children, families, men and women of Ukraine and those caught in this terrible conflict."

Secretary of State for Education Nadhim Zahawi said:

“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is deeply distressing and heart breaking. I know that seeing this illegal and immoral attack on such a beautiful country can be confusing and upsetting for children and I’m pleased to see the work that First News is doing to help navigate this difficult issue.

“I fully support First News’ appeal launched in partnership with the Disasters Emergency Committee, which will help raise vital funds for the people impacted by the invasion, while at the same time showing our support for the incredible people of Ukraine.”