News

The Rangers Charity Foundation will direct this season’s UNICEF donation to help tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

In response to the current situation, UNICEF, the world’s leading children’s charity, has launched a new global appeal to support children and families around the world.

We at Foundation have proudly been in partnership with UNICEF for over 11 years, supporting over 1.5 million children living in countries facing humanitarian crisis via annual donations.

£15,000 has already been donated to UNICEF so far this season, which will now be directed to support the coronavirus appeal. This could provide 15,000 health care professionals with respiratory masks to help keep them safe at work.

Whilst children, fortunately, seem to be less severely affected by the direct health impacts of the coronavirus, the secondary impacts on children and women across the world of this rapidly escalating situation are unprecedented. Already 1.5 billion children around the world are out of school and housebound due to coronavirus related school closures – a number rising daily. 

Coronavirus is having a profound impact on all children, with those who are vulnerable most at risk. Schools have been forced to close, putting at risk children’s rights to education, nutrition and protection.

UNICEF is supporting children and families during the outbreak by supplying medical equipment and hygiene kits, developing learning resources, supportinghealth and social services, continuing its water and sanitation work in countries with weaker infrastructures, prevention campaigns and tackling misinformation.

Rangers Legend, Michael Mols, commented: “As Ambassador for the UNICEF partnership, it makes me exceptionally proud to see how the Foundation has reacted to this crisis and adapted this year’s donation. The need is immediate.

“COVID-19 does not discriminate and all over the globe people are suffering – including young children who are being placed in such unimaginable situations. We hope that, by supporting UNICEF’s new appeal, we are able to limit this impact as much as possible.

“I would personally like to thank all the fans who have supported the Rangers Charity Foundation year-on-year. It’s thanks to you that these important partnerships and donations are made possible.”

Sue Adams, Director of Partnerships from UNICEF UK said: “At a time when coronavirus is reaching countries already facing humanitarian crisis because of conflict, natural disasters and climate change, the support from the Rangers Charity Foundation enables UNICEF to carry out vital work for children in the UK and around the world. 

“We want to extend a big thank you the Foundation for supporting our work.”

Closer to home, we’ve been working hard to support people as much as possible. Our #AFoundationFromHome initiative offers access to a range of resources including activity worksheets for children, home workout videos and football skill challenges. These skill challenges were initially developed for the Foundation’s Autism Friendly Football and Visually Impaired Football participants, but are now being enjoyed by supporters across all ages and abilities. 

#AFoundationFromHome will also soon include videos designed around the Foundation’s Football Memories project, supporting people living with dementia. 

Elsewhere, we have facilitated a donation from the Steven Gerrard Foundation to the Govan Youth Information Project, sent personalised video messages from Rangers FC players to fans going through a tough time and shared information about vital local services for people in the community who are in need of support.

Via the ‘Hub in the Community’ project, some of Govan High School’s most vulnerable pupils and their families, or those who need additional support, are receiving weekly wellbeing telephone calls.

For more information about UNICEF’s coronavirus appeal, visit: www.unicef.org.uk/coronavirus.