1 year ago
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Image source, EPA
The caller medal honours "unsung heroes" of disasters, specified arsenic the Nepal earthquake successful 2015
By Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent
A caller British medal is being launched to honour radical who person responded to large disasters and emergencies, specified arsenic earthquakes and floods.
Approved by King Charles, the Humanitarian Medal volition recognise the efforts of exigency workers and alleviation teams, including charities, work unit and wellness workers.
It volition honour the "unsung heroes" successful emergencies some overseas and successful the UK.
This could beryllium earthy disasters, but besides warfare zones and epidemics.
Alongside subject and civilian honours, the caller Humanitarian Medal volition recognise those moving successful the astir superior of disasters, including tsunamis, hurricanes and large concern accidents.
The Humanitarian Medal volition recognise those responding to disasters and emergencies
The medal could besides beryllium for a sustained effect to a wellness crisis, specified arsenic the efforts to tackle Ebola successful West Africa.
Eligibility for the Humanitarian Medal volition beryllium for those providing assistance connected behalf of the UK government, but it volition not beryllium restricted to British nationals, says the Cabinet Office.
The medal, with an representation of the King connected 1 broadside and the words "for humanitarian service" connected the other, volition go instantly available, oregon astatine slightest arsenic soon arsenic enactment is sent to a catastrophe oregon catastrophe, whether successful the UK oregon overseas.
Earlier this twelvemonth King Charles went to conscionable grieving families successful London who had mislaid relatives successful the earthquake that deed Syria and Turkey.
A Syrian antheral who had mislaid his mother, begetter and different household members told the King of the urgent request for much planetary rescue teams to scope those trapped beneath rubble.
But the authorities has faced disapproval from assistance agencies implicit its longer-term humanitarian efforts, with its reduction successful spending connected overseas aid.
MPs connected the International Development Committee and improvement agencies person besides highlighted that billions from the overseas assistance fund is now being spent wrong the UK, specified arsenic for edifice costs for refugees, alternatively than helping countries overseas.
Image source, Duncan Stone
Image caption,In February King Charles heard from Syrians who had mislaid household successful an earthquake
International Development Minister Andrew Mitchell said the humanitarian medal would recognise those who "show specified courageousness and service arsenic inspiration successful a scope of hopeless situations".
"Our enactment astir the satellite depends connected these bonzer people, and this grant honours their outstanding publication successful responding to a large crisis," helium said.
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