Hostage UK

Hostage UK
Founded April 25, 2004 (2004-04-25)

Hostage UKis a charity which aims to support hostages and their families by providing specialist and pastoral care, both during and after kidnap. It is an independent organisation set up to meet a growing, and previously un-met, demand both in the UK as well as overseas.

Origins

Hostage UK was the brain child of Terry Waite CBE, the humanitarian author and former hostage of the Islamic Jihad Organisation and Carlo Laurenzi OBE. Terry had a personal and very public kidnapping in Lebanon and was held for five years. Carlo, whilst head of the NGO, Prisoners Abroad, became acutely aware of the lack of provision for families of detainees and the absence of help for returnees. In 2003 Terry and Carlo met for the first time and agreed to establish a new and independent entity to support families of kidnap victims. Having put together a shadow board of trustees and supporters, Hostage UK was officially launched in the Palace of Westminster in 2004. In 2014 Hostage UK’s work was recognised by the UK government when Hostage UK’s director Rachel Briggs was appointed an OBE in recognition of the work that Hostage UK do.[1]


Goals and Aims

Hostage UK has three primary aims:

While the organisation does not endorse the payment of ransoms,[3] it takes a non-judgemental approach to those families that do chose to take this option. In addition to the production of reports and guides,[4] Hostage UK occasionally makes public statements regarding issues which effect hostages and their families, such as their 2013 criticism of Facebook for allowing beheading videos on the social network. A Hostage UK statement said: "The public are well aware of the brutalities committed, and a public showing … adds nothing other than to cause further unimaginable suffering." [5]

High Profile Cases

In operation since 2004,[6] Hostage UK has dealt with some high profile cases including those of David Haines [7] and Peter Moore.[8] David Haines’ Family asked well-wishers to donate to the charity instead of sending flowers.[9][10][11]

Many former hostages and family members of hostages work with the charity. These include Phil Bigley, the brother of murdered former hostage Kenneth Bigley,[12] former hostage Judith Tebbutt [13] and former hostage Peter Rudge [14]

References

  1. ↑ Honours for the best of Britain overseas, 30 December 2013, https://www.gov.uk/government/news/honours-for-the-best-of-britain-overseas
  2. ↑ Open Charities, HOSTAGE UK, last accesses 03/10/2014, http://opencharities.org/charities/1101851
  3. ↑ RAYMOND WHITAKER , When the life of a hostage lies in their hands, Sunday 06 July 2008, The Independent, http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/when-the-life-of-a-hostage-lies-in-their-hands-860888.html
  4. ↑ https://rorypecktrust.org/freelance-assistance/partners/Partner-Organisations
  5. ↑ Charles Arthur, PM calls Facebook irresponsible for allowing beheading clips, Guardian, Tuesday 22 October 2013, http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/oct/22/facebook-irresponsible-beheadings-david-cameron
  6. ↑ CASE STUDY REPORT, Hostage UK, CounterExtremism.Org, Last accessed 03/10/2014 https://www.counterextremism.org/resources/details/id/470/hostage-u.k.
  7. ↑ JAMIE BUCHAN, Memorial service for murdered hostage David Haines to be held in Perth, The Courier, 30 September 2014 http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/local/perth-kinross/memorial-service-for-murdered-hostage-david-haines-to-be-held-in-perth-1.604059
  8. ↑ JASON LEWIS, Terry Waite called in to help free Britons held hostage in Iraq, MAIL ON SUNDAY, 30 November 2008 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1090572/Terry-Waite-called-help-free-Britons-held-hostage-Iraq.html
  9. ↑ Perth memorial to be held for aid worker David Haines, BBC News, 30 September 2014, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-29427889
  10. ↑ Sally Hind, David Haines: Family of murdered aid worker ask wellwishers to donate to charity that supported them through his abduction, Daily Record, Sep 25, 2014, http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/david-haines-family-murdered-aid-4320596
  11. ↑ David Haines: Family of murdered aid worker ask wellwishers to donate to charity that supported them through his abduction, http://www.newsrt.co.uk/news/david-haines-family-of-murdered-aid-worker-ask-wellwishers-to-donate-to-charity-that-supported-them-through-his-abduction-2643087.html
  12. ↑ Colin Adwent, Ipswich: Brother of murdered hostage Ken Bigley speaks of distress over “inhumanity” of IS beheadings Wednesday, EADT24, September 17, 2014 http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/ipswich_brother_of_murdered_hostage_ken_bigley_speaks_of_distress_over_inhumanity_of_is_beheadings_1_3773410
  13. ↑ Dan Damon, Judith Tebbutt: My six months held hostage by Somali pirates, 26 July 2013, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23453120
  14. ↑ Embassy hostages kidnapped in Ethiopia released, Guardian, Tuesday 13 March 2007, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/mar/13/foreignpolicy.ethiopia
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