Tony Lloyd MP is supporting two NHS nurses, Sofia Ali and Kirsten Trafford, on an 18-mile walk for charity to raise money for the people of Yemen.  

Sofia, from Spotland, and Kirsten, from Manchester, work together at the Manchester Royal Infirmary and will walk from Liverpool to Southport on 10th August.

So far, they have made £1,675 of their £2,000 target.

Tony Lloyd said, “I’m proud of Sofia and Kirsten’s efforts to raise awareness of what is happening in Yemen.

“The Covid-19 pandemic takes up much of the news output in Britain, and the crisis doesn’t have much coverage in the media.

“Sofia and Kirsten are right to feel outraged at Britain’s role in the arms exports to Saudi Arabia, which might be used in Yemen, and I have written to the Foreign Secretary urging for its cancellation.

“The government should follow Sofia and Kirsten’s lead, and provide humanitarian action to prevent the crisis from spiralling into an irreparable disaster.”

Yemen is the largest humanitarian crisis in the world with 80 per cent of the population in need of humanitarian assistance, including more than 12 million children.

Sofia Ali said, “When we looked into the Yemen crisis, we found the most heart-wrenching facts.

“We were astounded to learn that the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis is not on the front page of every paper, and disgusted to learn about Britain’s involvement in providing arms to the Saudi government.

“The British public does not condone or support violence. We do not want to be recognised as a society that played a part in the extinction of a nation.”

Monies raised will be donated to the Human Relief Foundation’s Yemen Emergency Appeal.

You can donate to their cause by clicking here: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/kirstensofia