Ribchester Together: Appeal for Medical Aid for Gaza's Children

Medical Aid for PalestiniansRibchester Together is a local appeal to raise much needed funds for medical aid for people in Gaza, especially children, who have been caught up in the present conflict and are in desperate need of assistance. In this time of remembering in our village, many people have asked how they can best help.

Kathleen - a paramedic with connections in Ribchester* - was in Gaza from February to June this year on sabbatical from the Yorkshire Ambulance Service. She was sponsored by Palestine Trauma Centre (PTC), which works to rehabilitate children caught up in the blockade of Gaza. 50% of the population of Gaza are children and young people under the age of 18.

Kathleen has been asked which charity gets medical aid to where it is needed in Gaza reliably and can be donated to from the UK. She has suggested Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) which is an international charity, founded and run from the UK but working permanently in Gaza.

MAP has been working in Gaza for 20-years. They were ready immediately to respond when attacks escalated on 7th July, working despite extremely hazardous conditions to release emergency stocks of drugs and disposables to hospitals. Most supplies have run out in Gaza so the MAP team in the West Bank is helping to buy more and get them into Gaza. They are able to move faster to buy supplies and get them to Gaza than most other international agencies. The Kerem Shalom crossing is open for the transfer of urgent humanitarian supplies. 

Since the start of the current escalation, they have already delivered medicines and supplies worth more than £170,000 to several hospitals across Gaza; more than any other agency. They have provided hospitals  with equipment to collect blood donations, vital for surgery and transfusions, for the thousands injured in attacks. They have distributed emergency hygiene kits, blankets and mattresses to thousands of families who have been displaced from their homes and training given by MAP since the last conflict in 2012 has meant that health professionals are better equipped to deal with the crisis.

If you would like to donate to MAP's emergency medical appeal for Gaza, you can do so in the following ways:

  • Locally: Via the collections in St Wilfrid's Church and SS Peter & Paul's Church on 10th and 17th August, or to the Rectory in an envelope marked "FOR GAZA". 
  • Online: at www.map.org.uk
  • Mobile: Text 70070 with GAZA10 £10 (this will donate £10 which will be added to your phone bill)
  • Phone: Call 0207 226 4114
  • Post: Send cheques to Medical Aid for Palestinians, 33a Islington Park Street, Freepost ND6445, London, N1 1BR.

You can downoad a leaflet giving details of MAP's disaster response programme by clicking here.

* Kathleen may be known to some villagers as 'Katie' from St Wilfrid's Primary School and 'Kate' from Clitheroe Grammar. She is the elder daughter of Gill Henwood, Rector of St Wilfrid's, Ribchester.