SURF Patron, Actor and Radio Documentary maker, Felicity Finch, has recorded a new BBC Radio 4 Appeal for Survivors Fund (SURF).

The Appeal will be broadcast on Sunday 16th June at 7.54am and 9.25pm, and again on Thursday 20th June at 3.27pm. If you miss the broadcast, you can listen to it on demand at the BBC Radio 4 Appeal website. 

The Appeal will include the story of Sandrine, one of the many survivors that Survivors Fund (SURF) has supported over the years. 

To trail the Appeal, with the help of Andrew Sutton of eco2 we have produced this short film:

The Appeal will showcase the difference Survivors Fund (SURF) has been able to make in the lives of survivors such as Sandrine:

SURF provides vital support – housing, healthcare, education, work.

It’s helped Sandrine, who despite suffering the most unimaginable trauma, has been strong enough to make a success of her life. 

She was just eleven when her parents were killed in front of her. Sandrine was raped by militia, cut with machetes and infected with HIV.

She couldn’t graduate from school and had no job. Homeless, living in poverty, emotionally and physically scarred with acute trauma, she had no hope for a better future. 

But then Sandrine heard of the work of SURF.  The charity directed her to counselling, and secured funding to build a house, so she had a safe place to live.  Sandrine learnt how to cook, and SURF supported her to set up a food stall at her local market.

She’s forty-one now, has a successful business, and a family and home of her own.

Thank you to Felicity for agreeing to record the appeal, and in advance to all those of you that are in a position to support it, which you can do by donating here.

Any help that you can provide in raising awareness of that through your social media channels will be greatly appreciated. We will be posting more information on our X and Facebook channels in the lead up to it.