Greater Manchester’s Mayor Andy Burnham talking to Human Appeal staff distributing coats to rough sleepers on ‎October‎ ‎19‎ (Photo: Charles Lawley/ Human Appeal)

Nadine Osman

British Muslim faith-based charity, Human Appeal, has launched its winter Wrap Up Campaign where they are aiming to collect and donate at least 21,00 coats to the rough sleepers of four major UK cities.

Wrap Up Manchester, Wrap Up London, Wrap Up Glasgow and Wrap Up Birmingham campaigns started on November 13 and run until November 15.

The campaign will also provide coats to charities to help the elderly in crisis, children in poverty and refugees.

Human Appeal will be running the efforts in Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow, where they aim to collect 3,000 coats and are the main charity sponsor of Wrap Up London, run by HandsOn London, who hope to collect 18,000 coats.

This campaign will be Wrap Up Manchester’s second year and Wrap Up London’s seventh year, but the first year of the project in Glasgow and Birmingham. Last year, when Human Appeal launched Wrap Up Manchester they aimed to collect 700 coats for vulnerable people in Manchester over the winter, instead, 1,500 items were received.

Supported by Network Rail, Human Appeal’s Wrap Up Campaign will use Manchester Piccadilly station as a coat donation site on November 13, 14 and 15 and SafeStore; using their self-storage centres across Manchester, Glasgow and Birmingham as donation sites throughout the collection period.

In a statement to The Muslim News 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. 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, says, “The number of rough sleepers in the UK has risen by 133 percent over 5 years. In the harsh winter months, Human Appeal empowers 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.”