Frequently asked questions

Venezuelan Relief UK is a UK-based disaster-relief charity. We bring people together here in the UK — collecting aid, raising funds and delivering practical help — for families overseas who have lost everything to natural disaster. We began in the aftermath of the June 2026 Venezuela earthquakes and are now also responding to the August 2026 Colombia earthquake, working hand in hand with trusted partners on the ground.

Yes. Venezuelan Relief UK is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, charity number 1218988. Our constitution was adopted on 10 July 2026. You can view our entry on the public register at any time.

The charity is governed by a board of trustees who volunteer their time and are responsible for how funds are used. You can read about the people behind our work on our trustees page, and more about how we govern ourselves on our transparency page.

Our story began with the June 2026 Venezuela earthquakes, and those communities remain close to our hearts and central to our work. But we were never built for a single moment: we exist to carry practical help wherever disaster strikes. When earthquakes hit Colombia in August 2026, we extended our response there too, and we will keep showing up wherever families need us next.

On 24–25 June 2026, Venezuela was struck by two major earthquakes that caused widespread destruction, loss of life and displacement. In August 2026, a further earthquake struck Colombia. Thousands of families lost their homes and livelihoods, and our work focuses on getting real, practical relief to those affected.

We collect and fund humanitarian aid in the UK — at one point holding around 10 tonnes of donated aid in UK warehousing pending shipment — and move it to affected regions, working alongside established local partners who handle distribution where we do not operate directly. Cash donations let our trustees direct support quickly to whatever is most needed, from clean water and food to shelter and medical essentials.

Yes. Where we do not operate directly ourselves, we channel support through established, registered local charities and partners chosen for their accountability and their ability to reach affected families. This keeps aid traceable and gets help to where it is needed fastest.

Donations support our international disaster-relief work as a whole and are not restricted to a single country or appeal, so our trustees can direct them where the need is greatest — currently across our Venezuela and Colombia earthquake responses. You can give securely on our donate page.

Gift Aid is a UK government scheme that lets charities reclaim an extra 25p from HMRC for every £1 donated by a UK taxpayer, at no extra cost to the donor. We have applied to HMRC and will offer Gift Aid on eligible donations as soon as our registration is confirmed.

Yes — there are lots of ways to help beyond a cash gift. You can donate aid items, volunteer your time, or offer logistics, warehousing or partnership support. See the options on our get involved page.

As a registered CIO, we are accountable under charity law and to the Charity Commission, and our trustees oversee how every pound is spent. We have built accountability in from the start — you can read about our governance, reporting and the documents behind our work on our transparency page.

We would love to hear from you. You can reach us through our contact page — whether you are a donor, a potential partner, a journalist, or simply someone who wants to help.