When England’s World Cup campaign begins in just over a week’s time, the eyes of the world will be on one of Crawley’s own in the England dug-out. My best wishes to Gareth Southgate – who grew up in our town, attended Pound Hill Junior and Hazelwick Schools, and married at Worth Church – and his team. Come on England!
Before the tournament starts, the biennial Soccer Aid game takes place on Sunday (10th June) at Old Trafford, where a team of England celebrities and football legends take on a side from the Rest of the World. This is all in aid of UNICEF, who supply vaccines reaching 40 per cent of the world’s children, deliver 80 per cent of the world’s life-saving food, and have provided cleaner water and sanitation for families in more than 107 countries.
Over the last 12 years, £24 million has been raised through Soccer Aid to help UNICEF support children in some of the poorest parts of the world. Assistance has included 13.8 million people with improved drinking water and 11.3 million getting better sanitation.
Donations to UNICEF as part of this year’s Soccer Aid will be matched by the UK Government (up to the value of £5 million) to support UNICEF’s work for children in Swaziland and Lesotho.
In Parliament I continue to call for greater transparency in the international aid system, and recently questioned the International Development Secretary in the House of Commons over the action of the UK Government to ensure that other countries pay their fair share towards international development.
Henry Smith MP
Crawley Constituency
House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
01293 934554/020 7219 7043
henry.smith.mp@parliament.uk
www.henrysmith.info