Dear KCLSU peers,
Globally we've all been affected by the devastating impact of the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation and the ensuing conflict. There have been appalling acts of violence, and unjustified suffering inflicted upon people, none more so than those living in the country. As the KCLSU Officer Team, we published a message of support to those in our community from both Ukraine and Russia some days ago. In the days that have followed, Russian military forces now occupy large areas of the country and continue to invade others. In light of the continuing devastation, we share this message with you as we watch this new war unfold with immense sadness. King's has also published an updated message to students here.
Over the last several days, we have seen more intergovernmental alliances, international governing bodies, aid agencies, sports associations, and individuals speak out in condemnation of the invasion. Once again, we stand with those impacted and send a message of support to Ukrainian students and any other King's students affected. Our hopes and thoughts go out to all those impacted by this needless act of war that is destroying lives and bringing untold hardship to the people of Ukraine.
As your Students' Union, we hope to see the UK Government support those fleeing the horrors in Ukraine by accepting and supporting refugees and providing educational opportunities to them. We condemn the prejudice shown to those fleeing the conflict. We also condemn the discrimination shown to our members from Russia and Belarus, who are by no means responsible for the conflict, yet must live with the consequences of the ongoing invasion. We hope that all people, regardless of ethnic origin or background, trying to flee the conflict find safety in this time of crisis.
Our priority is ensuring the wellbeing of our members within the King's community. As such, we encourage anyone affected – however much – to seek support. You can find support at KCLSU's Wellbeing Hub, King's Counselling & Mental Health Support Service, Pro-Counselling, TogetherAll, as well as KCLSU's Academic Advice team. King's Chaplains are also available for informal and confidential discussions. We understand that The University has established several additional support services, including hardship funding for students significantly impacted by the invasion of Ukraine. Interfaith Prayers for Peace have also been taking place in the Strand Chapel and continue to occur on Tuesdays and Thursdays. More guidance on support and advice from King's is here.
We again express our deepest concern and our thoughts for all those in the Ukrainian student community, their friends, families, loved ones and all Ukrainian people. We can only hope that our faith in humanity and diplomacy prevails.
KCLSU Officer Team
Ways you can help:
Several organisations are also accepting volunteers, including:
Fundraising in response to the Ukraine Crisis
Fundraising within your activity groups is a tangible way to support those affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
How to Fundraise:
Choose your charity
Many charities and organisations are supporting those affected in Ukraine. When choosing your charity, you need to ensure that they are a UK-based charity registered with the charity commission. You can typically find a charity number on their website that will indicate that they are registered. Once you have selected your charity, you will need to contact them to obtain a letter of authorisation, their charity number and their bank account details.
Here is a list of charities you might consider that are currently responding to the crisis:
Organising your Fundraiser
Once you have gained all the information needed from your charity, you must fill out a fundraising form listing your initiative and your charity. You may consider running a bake sale, ticketed event like a quiz or social, running a live-streamed talk or setting workout goals in aid of your charity.
There are three ways of gaining income:
- Buckets (collected from hubs) allow you to collect cash donations on campus.
- Tickets (through the KCLSU Website, people can pay entry fees that are transferred to your society account)
- Through JustGiving (by creating a page under the KCLSU page by clicking "Fundraise for us", this money will be directed to your society account.)
No money can be collected by PayPal or by external card companies. No money should be taken home by a student on behalf of the student group.
Once you've done your fundraiser, you must complete a payment request form, and then KCLSU will transfer all money raised to your charity.
For more information on fundraising, please see the fundraising page on the KCLSU Website or e-mail [email protected] for specific enquiries.