Charity SOS Children calls for "no UK deductions for Haiti"

CAMBRIDGE, England, February 23, 2010 - Orphan charity SOS Children UK is calling on all British NGOs
to pledge to make no UK deductions for Haiti - specifically to promise not to
use any donations or sponsorships given for Haiti in 2010 to pay for UK spend
on advertising, fundraising, admin, advocacy or anything else.

Leading by example, SOS Children UK have declared that they
will make absolutely no deductions toward UK costs for any funds donated for
Haiti and launched a petition calling on all other British charities
to join this "no deductions for Haiti" charity pledge.

CEO Andrew Cates explains: "Charities had already fixed their 2010
budgets when the disaster struck on January 12 and major media
partners gave free publicity. As responsible UK NGOs we all owe it to
the British public and to the people of Haiti not to use this any of
this unexpected collection of millions of pounds to pay for what we in
the UK would be doing anyway."

SOS Children have launched a petition website
www.nodeductions4haiti.org/ where already many people have
signed the petition calling for no deductions.

"This is an easy pledge for charities to sign up to" commented Cates

"Indeed, you would need to have a good hard look at any British charity
in the present circumstances which would not sign up and instead was using
the plight of people in Haiti as a means of funding their own activity in the
UK"

    Notes to Editors:

    - Pledge website: www.nodeductions4haiti.org/

    - This petition and pledge refers to UK costs.

    - SOS Children's Villages provides a family for life for
      children who have lost their parents through war, famine, disease,
      natural disaster and poverty. Over 78,000 orphaned and abandoned
      children are cared for by SOS mothers in clusters of family homes in
      more than 500 of our unique Children's Villages in 124 countries
      worldwide. Thousands more children benefit from SOS Children's outreach
      support which includes education, vocational training, medical care and
      community development programmes. SOS Children also provides emergency
      relief in situations of crisis and disaster, and continues to support
      families in earthquake and tsunami-affected countries.
      www.soschildren.org

For press enquiries please contact Elizabeth Rodgers, Press
and Communications Manager, SOS Children, elizabeth@soschildren.org
+44(0)1223-365-589

For press enquiries please contact Elizabeth Rodgers, Press and Communications Manager, SOS Children, elizabeth at soschildren.org +44(0)1223-365-589