Band Aid Trust

Band Aid Trust was founded by Bob Geldof.

"The Band Aid Trust has been going since the original single was released, handing out $144m (£75m) to famine relief projects across Africa between January 1985 and November 2004.

"Of the latest money raised, a Band Aid statement said: "These funds are distributed to various organisations that implement sustainable projects aimed at relieving poverty and hunger in Ethiopia and the surrounding area via a funding process."

"It stayed at No 1 for five weeks, clocking up sales of 3.5 million, the biggest selling UK single until Elton John's Princess Diana tribute, "Candle in the Wind", in 1997. Eventually, it raised £5m for famine relief. Two other versions – 1989's Band Aid II and 2004's Band Aid 20, which both also hit No 1 – raised millions more. There was more money from the Live Aid concert in 1985 and 2005's follow-up, Live 8.

"In all, Geldof and Ure's wheeze – copied in America as USA for Africa – put more than £150m into famine relief. The Band Aid Trust still has an income of about £2m a year, which is spent in Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda, Eritrea, Somalia and Nigeria."

"The Band Aid Trust has supported Christian Aid for several years on projects that have included food security initiatives for internally displaced people in Uganda to helping to provide clean water for rural communities in Ethiopia. Without the support of The Band Aid Trust, projects such as these, that have reached tens of thousands of people, would not have been possible."

"Sir Bob Geldolf today announced The Hunter Foundation, (THF) retail entrepreneur Tom Hunter’s venture philanthropy, will match all funds raised by the Band Aid 20 Single “Do they know it’s Christmas?” to a maximum of £7 million regardless of whether this total is reached or not."

Niger
From 2005: "The Band Aid Trust is to use part of The Hunter Foundation (THF) £6 million commitment to fund UNICEF's humanitarian response to the ongoing crisis in Niger.

"Following agreement between the Band Aid Trust and THF the £300,000 aid programme will support upwards of 29,000 severely malnourished children in two of the worst affected areas of Niger and help support security of food stock for the future."

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Related Sourcewatch

 * John Kennedy (Music), Trustee of the Band Aid Trust
 * CIVICUS - grantee
 * Midge Ure
 * Michael Buerk
 * Claire Bertschinger
 * Band Aid Secretary Joe Cannon
 * John James was Band Aid Field Director in Ethiopia from 1985-91
 * Harvey Goldsmith
 * Kevin Jenden - helped set up Band Aid Trust
 * Penny Jenden - helped set up Band Aid Trust
 * Lord Gowrie - founding trustee
 * Lord Harlech - founding trustee
 * Michael Grade - founding trustee
 * Chris Morrison - founding trustee
 * Maurice Oberstein - founding trustee
 * Ananda Krishnan - paid Band Aid office expenses
 * Martin Rogol, U.S.A. for Africa Foundation's executive director