The Syrian Refugee Relief Fund is a small charity that has been set up to raise urgently needed money to provide relief to refugees in Syria and neighbouring countries. We are partnered with Action for Humanity (formerly Syria Relief), another UK registered charity that works on the ground and is best placed to assess the situation of those in immediate need.
Co-founded by Will Wintercross, a photo journalist who has covered the war and was deeply affected by what he saw and wanted to help directly. The SRRF has received support from a whole range of sources from private donations, church fetes and people running marathons. We are run entirely by volunteers meaning 99.5% of what we raise goes to those in need. With 0.5% going to running costs, we can trace exactly where our funds go.
Since we launched in 2015, we’ve raised over £800,000 for orphans and children who have lost limbs due to the war. In 2023, as a result of your stunning generosity, we reopened a school for over 700 children in Mahmoudli refugee camp in eastern Syria. While much of the fighting has reduced, the suffering has not. 5.6 million Syrians have fled their country, many of whom are living in refugee camps and another 6.9 million are internally displaced.
““The car that was taking us to shelter broke down in the middle of a bombing. My mind stopped working while the planes were hovering over our heads. I felt like life stopped until a group of people managed to save us and get us in a safe basement. I couldn’t sleep for 3 continuous days. Then one day my husband came to me sadly to tell me that my brother whom I saw that morning had died. I was so weak and thought of suicide a couple of times, but what kept me strong was the 12 steps. I managed to get out of my sadness through the group support and communicating with Insan during our hardest times. I feel more confident now and believe I have an important role in life. I try to support others and stand by them as Insan once stood by me, for I know exactly what they feel during bombing, displacement, and loss””
In 2023 we raised over £80,000 at our annual dinner. We cannot thank our generous donors enough.
If you want to help make a difference, click here to donate.
The video above shows why our work is needed.
Your donations have an immediate and tangible impact. To hear first hand, watch the above video.
MEET OUR Volunteer TEAM
WILL WINTERCROSS, CO-FOUNDER & TRUSTEE since 2015
Will is a photo and video journalist. He co-founded SRRF after seeing the horror of the Syria crisis up close while covering it for The Daily Telegraph. It was after interviewing a Syrian grandmother looking after 16 grandchildren and children while living in a derelict building in Turkey that he realised he had to do more than just report on the war. For more of Will's film and photography work see www.willwintercross.com
BRIAN CROSS, CO-FOUNDER & TRUSTEE since 2015
Brian has over 40 years experience working in the not for profit sector as a community arts worker. During this time he also served on the board of Photo 98, Action Space Mobile, Cultures United in Kirklees and for 4 years was the Chair of Voluntary Action Kirklees. He is currently very active as a volunteer for; the Trans Pennine Trail, Sanctuary Suppers, as a Reading Friend and as Chair of 6million+ Charitable Trust. He brings a wealth of experience and energy to his role as a trustee for SRRF, providing ongoing administrative support in our work with prospective partners, with the Charity Commission and with our accountants, Riley & Co.
TRISTAN ELDER, TRUSTEE - APPOINTED in 2018
Tristan has spent most of his career in the technology industry and has seen the positive impact that the innovative and creative use of technology can have on those in need. Having grown up in Africa and the Middle East he was, at a young age, made aware of the challenging conditions that those around him were often in. His commercial experience is helping SRRF to grow its reach and impact.
VICTORIA NICHOLSON - APPOINTED in 2019
Victoria spent 7 years working with a major UK military charity which supported veterans with both physical and mental injury, and specialised in organising mass participation UK based fundraising events for donors, as well as high profile world wide challenges with wounded servicemen and women. Victoria joined the SRRF in September 2019, bringing with her a drive to do more to support those who are disadvantaged, whatever their background, and solid experience in complex event organising and problem solving.
PAOLA FUDAKOWSKA, TRUSTEE- APPOINTED in 2022
Paola is a lawyer with two decades of experience working in an international law firm in London, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and a non-governmental organisation in Geneva. She has served as a U.K. charity trustee of a global Catholic organisation, for which she volunteered since university. She is a school governor. Paola joined the SRRF in June 2022 to offer her legal expertise towards our mission to provide critical assistance to refugees in Syria and neighbouring countries.
Registered Charity number - 1163035
England and Wales Charity Commission status found here