Coronavirus: The Clooneys and U2 join celebrities donating millions to fight COVID-19 pandemic
Written by News on 10/04/2020
George and Amal Clooney and Irish rock band U2 have become the latest celebrities to donate large sums of money to help in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
The Hollywood couple have pledged more than $1m (£803,000), with the money understood to be shared between six COVID-19 causes.
It is understood the NHS will get £242,000, and the relief effort in the Lombardy region of Italy, as well as the Lebanese Food Bank, will also receive a share of the cash.
Amal, 42, an internationally renowned human rights lawyer, was born in Lebanon.
George and Amal, who have a home in Berkshire, have also pledged £202,000 to both the Motion Picture and Television home, of which George is a board member, and to the US actors’ union SAG-AFTRA Fund.
According to Deadline, the same amount went to the Los Angeles Mayor’s Fund, which helps provide childcare for the city’s emergency service and healthcare workers.
They have joined a growing number of celebrities parting with their cash to help tackle the outbreak.
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U2 has donated 10 million euro (£8.7m) to buy personal protective equipment (PPE) for front line staff in Ireland.
The money is part of an initiative involving Irish aircraft leasing company Avolon, which is working with public and private firms to raise funds to buy PPE equipment from China, according to RTE.
The first consignment arrived at Dublin Airport earlier in the week.
The Irish government is already spending more than 200 million euro securing additional PPE from China, with Aer Lingus transporting the stock from Beijing to Dublin on dozens of flights.
In a Tweet, the Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar – who has re-registered as a doctor with the country’s health service – welcomed the initiative involving Avolon.
He tweeted: “Govt has ordered what in normal times would be a 13 year supply of PPE. Even so, all assistance from private sector and general public is welcome.
“We’d rather be using it than looking for it.
“And, when it’s all over we can build a stockpile and help out other countries in need too.”
(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus: The Clooneys and U2 join celebrities donating millions to fight COVID-19 pandemic
