According to the https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker there are currently 27 countries in active conflict.

We are all aware of the heartbreaking devastation and human cost of War. The latest conflicts dominating our news are those in Israel/Gaza and in the Ukraine.

The British Red Cross are are the world’s emergency responders and has "boots on the ground" in both these areas.

To find out how this charity is providing neutral, impartial and humanitarian aid in each of these areas See below

.SING FOR PEACE

Is a local fundraising initiative.

I believe there is great power in the collective conscious where we can come together socially to hope, pray and SING FOR PEACE.

The event is at the historic Eyre Chappel, behind the Nags Head pub on Newbold Road, Chesterfield S41 8RJ

On January 27th, from 4pm to 6pm.

There will be songs performed as well as a chance to sing along.

Refreshments ( wine , Beer and soft drinks)

Raffle Prizes to be won

£10. entry fee ( all goes to The Red Cross)

If you are unable to attend and are able to donate please use the donate button on this page.

Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territory  

Since Saturday 7 October, the UN has reported that more than 10,000 people, including children, have been killed in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and over 30,000 injured. 1.5 million people have been displaced from their homes in the Gaza Strip, leaving them with nowhere to go and seeking shelter in hospitals.

Red Cross teams on the ground have visited hospitals in northern Gaza, seeing death, destruction and displacement on a staggering level. As they provide medical care, shelter and essentials, they’re feeling the walls of buildings shake from explosions – risking their safety to get vital aid to people living through this day after day.In Israel, at least 240 people have reportedly been taken as hostages from southern Israel. Their families have endured over a month of terrible suffering with no news of their loved ones. Over 200,000 Israelis remain displaced from their homes. Others are mourning the deaths of more than 1,200 people, who were killed on 7 October. 

The Red Cross in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel

 Staff and volunteers from Magen David Adom (MDA), Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) were already on the ground when the violence broke out and have been leading the response to the emergency.They have been working around the clock to treat casualties, provide ambulances and lifesaving first aid to all those who need it.This includes helping to facilitate trucks of aid from Egypt to Gaza via the Rafah border, with additional assistance from the Egyptian Red Crescent Society and the United Nations.

This aid comprised of food, water and medical supplies.In Israel, the relief work of Magen David Adom includes: Mobilising 1,500 ambulances and 10,000 first respondersEmergency medical teams transporting injured people. Organising blood donations to support medical facilitiesSupporting health authorities with hospital transfers.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) is the leading provider of emergency medical services in Gaza and the West Bank.In Gaza:More than 379,000 people have received food, water and other essential items. Over 10,000 people have been supported with emergency medical care (to date, ambulance crews have transported 3,300 casualties) 20,000 displaced people are estimated to have sought shelter at PRCS offices and hospitals

On Sunday 19 November, the PRCS was able to evacuate 31 premature babies from Al-Shifa hospital and transport them to the Emirati Hospital in Rafah. The evacuation and transport were the result of cooperation between the PRCS, World Health Organization (WHO) and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). On 20 November PRCS transported 28 babies to the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. The babies have since been transferred to hospitals in Egypt to receive treatment.In the West Bank:2,600 injured people have been given emergency medical care. Ambulance crews have transported over 60 casualties.

The ICRC are providing humanitarian assistance as required on both sides, and are advocating on behalf of the hostages held in Gaza - requesting information on them, working to gain access to visit them and seeking to secure their release in addition to clarifying the fate of those unaccounted for.

.The Red Cross in the UKraine

The level of humanitarian need in Ukraine is still staggeringly high.It is 18 months since the conflict in Ukraine escalated and millions of people are still going without essentials like electricity, warmth and water.

Countless home s, schools, hospitals and important infrastructure have been destroyed. Many people will soon face their second winter living in damaged, freezing cold homes.In Ukraine,

Red Cross teams are still working to provide essential aid, like food, shelter, healthcare and helping local partners repair buildings.More than seven million people have fled Ukraine completely, leaving behind everything they have ever known, including their loved ones.

Here in the UK, Red Cross teams have been on hand to give support and a friendly, safe place for people to turn to while rebuilding their lives. The conflict hasn’t stopped, and we need your help to continue supporting people in Ukraine, as well as those who have been forced to flee to other countries, including the UK.

Since the conflict in Ukraine began, staff and volunteers across the movement have provided support to over 16.9 million people impacted by the crisis so far. This includes:  Healthcare: providing access to medical care as well as clean water.Immediate and long-term support: helping communities to get through the winter months and ensuring there is longer-term cover.Brining families together: supporting evacuations and getting people to safety.

Whilst here in the UK our Red Cross teams have:Helped 64,000 refugees arriving from Ukraine. Given £2.9 million in emergency financial assistance.Distributed over 20,000 SIM cards so people can stay in touch with their loved ones. We make it our mission to help people prepare for, deal with and recover from a crisis – wherever and whoever they may be. . As the conflict continues, there are people still in need of urgent assistance.  

Margaryta's story

Margaryta, 19, had to flee her home in Eastern Ukraine soon after giving birth to her baby boy, Pavlo.  After reaching Lviv in western Ukraine, Margaryta was introduced to the Unbroken Mothers centre, which is on the city’s outskirts and supported by the Red Cross. It provides accommodation, cooking and cleaning facilities for mothers and their children who had to flee other parts of Ukraine because of the conflict. Trained counsellors and psychologists are also on hand to help.  Margaryta said she felt relieved straight away to have a safe place that had everything she and her baby needed to feel comfortable.

£10 could provide a hygiene kit to a family of five, giving them supplies to stay healthy for a month. £20 could provide five blankets to families taking shelter.£30 could provide 3,600 chlorine tablets to ensure that families have access to clean, safe water.£100 could provide sleeping mats for 66 people who have been forced from their homes.£210 could provide a fully equipped first aid kit, including supplies, to a first aider treating the wounded.