British activists step up Syria relief efforts

Activists in Britain are stepping up their efforts to help the Syrian people by sending further aid as the fighting intensifies and the number of affected civilians increases.

The Charity Commission has launched a new campaign called “Our Bread for Syria,” through which it has collected £640,000 ($1 million) and sent three shipments of bread to distressed Syrians.

The organization told Al Arabiya that it started this week distributing wheat flour to more than 3 million people inside and outside Syria.

Othman Mokbel, general manager of the Commission, told Al Arabiya that it has collected a record sum of money from supporters, and has sent 40 trucks of wheat flour to Syrians via Turkey.

However, this amount is only enough to last a few days, Mokbel added.

Commission spokesman Adnan Hamydan told Al Arabiya that it has also recently launched a campaign to provide baby milk to Syrians, which has so far raised £100,000 ($160,000).

The Commission has set up four field hospitals in opposition-held areas, and an elementary school on the Syrian-Turkish border for the children of Syrian refugees.

The Commission’s efforts represent only a small portion of the relief efforts carried out by British, Arab and Syrian activists and charities.

While some activists are focusing on humanitarian work, others are organizing daily protests and events across Britain in solidarity with the Syrian revolution.