Last Thursday we hosted a very special event at Cahoots bar, right in the heart of the Soho, to mark a major milestone: CARE International’s 80th anniversary.
With broadcaster and comedian Sue Perkins guiding us through the event, it was far more than a celebration of our history - it was a tribute to the amazing people whose kindness has powered CARE for eight decades. It was also a reminder that, despite the progress we have made by working together, there are still many challenges that lie ahead in order realise CARE’s vision of a world of hope, inclusion and social justice.
From the very first CARE Packages sent from the USA to families in need in post-war Europe, to today’s global network of partners working in over 120 countries, CARE has always been about one thing above all: human generosity. That same spirit filled the room yesterday, reminding us that while the world has changed dramatically since 1945, what moves people to act has not.
The original CARE Package recipients
Among the 70 guests at the event, we were especially privileged to welcome three very special guests - Tim, Megan and Karin – all recipients of CARE Packages in the aftermath of the Second World War. Earlier this year, Megan described to our supporters what that meant to her family: "… through all the darkness, there was one ray of hope which I will never forget. And it came from a complete stranger.”
At the event, Tim shared his own memories of the parcels his family received – Packages filled with essentials, treats and above all a message of hope, delivered from someone far away with a simple human desire to help them. “In our family it was a red letter day when the CARE packages arrived, and the excitement of receiving food we had never tasted before, from perfect strangers over 3,000 miles away, had a life-long impact on my brother and me.”
Their presence was a powerful reminder that while CARE has evolved, our mission began – and continues – with acts of compassion from ordinary people determined to help others rebuild their lives.
The impact your support can have
We then heard from Hazel Johnstone from the People's Postcode Lottery, one of CARE’s most important and valued partners, without whom so much of our work would not be possible. She spoke about how CARE aligns with the People's Postcode Lottery's values and the incredible impact that flexible funding can have.
We then heard from two inspirational women who are working with women and girls at the frontline of crisis.
Hiba Al-Hejazi is CARE’s Regional Advocacy Adviser for the Middle East and North Africa. She spoke about the amazing courage shown by CARE staff and partners in Gaza. Of their choice to stay, to serve, to keep going in what has become the humanitarian test of our time.
Hiba called for a lasting peace in Gaza, and thanked everyone in the room for helping to provide a lifeline of support to CARE staff and partners so that they are able to keep going in a situation that no one should have to endure.
We were honoured to hear next from Razia Sultana, whose tireless work advocating for the rights of Rohingya women, in particular survivors of sexual violence, has been supported by CARE for many years. Razia currently works with women in Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh, the world’s largest refugee camp, where she helps them to form women-led organisations, access livelihoods training and receive psychosocial support.
Razia knows first-hand the impact of investing and believing in women. She spoke movingly about how she has seen women who have faced the very worst of humanity find the strength, courage and power to advocate for themselves, to confront the horrors of genocide, of sexual violence and domestic violence, and to build new lives for themselves and their families.
Razia thanked supporters for believing in women like these—for choosing to stand with them even when the world so often overlooks their struggles. Through your support to CARE, you are helping women claim their rights, their dignity, and their agency.
A musical interlude
Razia was followed by a very special performance from one of CARE’s most dedicated supporters, renowned composer David Arnold. For over two decades, David has given us his time, talent and creativity on countless occasions, inspiring people to join CARE and take action to stand with women worldwide.
David was joined at the piano Kate Garner, Bond violinist Eos Counsell and surprise guest Sophie Ellis-Bextor. Their moving performances were an energetic reminder of how much music can unite and inspire us. In a rousing finale, they led the guests in a round-the-piano rendition of ‘We’ll meet again’, and were joined by original CARE Package Tim Thomas when Sue handed him her mic!
Thank you to all our supporters
To close the event, CARE’s CEO Helen McEachern reflected on how far CARE has come – and how much further we need to go to achieve a world of hope, inclusion, and social justice, where poverty has been overcome and all people live in dignity and security.
Helen also paid tribute to the supporters, partners, and volunteers who have shaped CARE’s journey across generations.
To all our supporters, past and present: thank you for helping CARE become the organisation it is today, working in over 120 countries to save lives, defeat poverty and achieve social justice. Your belief in a fairer world will continue to guide us through the next 80 years.
