Charity vow to keep 21,000 homeless warm this winter with coat campaign

Muslim charity Human Appeal is hoping for a warm reception for their Wrap Up campaign as they aim to take in 21,000 coats this winter to help the homeless.

The British Muslim faith-based charity took in around 1,500 garments last year with the initiative across Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and London.

But this year, the group are hoping to boost their intake by more than 14 times as they look to provide aid to the elderly in crisis, children in poverty and refugees.

We, in Human Appeal, want to not only offer a hand to those in desperate need of humanitarian aid, but to wrap an arm around those in desperate need of warmth

The Wrap Up Manchester, Wrap Up London, Wrap Up Glasgow and Wrap Up Birmingham campaigns will start on November 13 and run until November 24.

The seventh running of the initiative in the English capital, Human Appeal are looking to collect 18,000 coats in London alongside organisers HandsOn London, with a further 3,000 in the second Manchester event and inaugural Glasgow and Birmingham schemes combined.

Exceeding expectations would be nothing new for the charity who aimed to collect 700 coats as they kicked off the scheme in Manchester last year but instead 1,500 items were received. They are teaming up with Network Rail to use Manchester Piccadilly station as a donation site between November 13 and 15 while SafeStore centres across the north-west city, Glasgow and Birmingham will be available to drop off coats throughout the fortnight.

Othman Moqbel, Human Appeal’s chief executive said: “The winter months can be unforgiving for those sleeping rough or unable to afford a winter coat.

“We, in Human Appeal, want to not only offer a hand to those in desperate need of humanitarian aid, but to wrap an arm around those in desperate need of warmth.

Do something warm this winter & re-home your old coats to those who need it in these cold month with our award winning #WrapUpMCR campaign pic.twitter.com/5qeVBO1ALw

— Human Appeal (@HumanAppeal) November 5, 2017

“We aim to help people in need all across the world regardless of their race or religion or gender or location. Whether it’s someone in need in Mosul or Manchester, Human Appeal aims to help in every humanitarian crisis.”

Samra Said, Human Appeal’s UK domestic programmes manager who is leading on the Wrap Up Campaign, added: “The numbers of rough sleepers in the UK has risen by 133 per cent over five years. In the harsh winter months, Human Appeal empower all communities to come together through Wrap Up Manchester to help those most in need.

“Warm someone’s body with a coat and warm their heart by letting them know you care.”

Image courtesy of Rafael Castillo via Creative Commons with thanks