Chongqing- "As a group of Chinese living in Leeds, we believe that individual citizens should work together and show our solidarity in the difficult time of the COVID-19 pandemic. "noted at the Gofundme website https://www.gofundme.com/f/73p84-chinese-in-leeds-together-with-nhs. On 25 March, Dr. Li Sun and Ms. Lingfang Zhou launched the fund-raising campaign "Chinese in Leeds Together with NHS" (NHS refers to The National Health Service).

The fund-raising campaign: "Chinese in Leeds Together with NHS." Photo Credit: Min Fu

"As NHS staff are on the front lines fight against the COVID-19 outbreak, we'd like to support them by raising money to buy personal protective equipment from China. We can do this more quickly and effectively than going through the usual long-winded government channels due to our connections in China" quoted from the donation webpage.

"By 20 April April, we had received a donation of £8,181.13. We will donate £6,000 in cash to the NHS trust to fight the outbreak, and the remaining £2,181.13 will be used to purchase 4,500 surgical masks (EN14683) from China and distribute these masks to 15 GP practices in the Greater Leeds Area." one of the organizers told us.

This campaign has received a warm response. More than 170 donors from the UK and overseas contributed to this campaign. For example, George Ferguson, the former mayor of Bristol, sent a tweet to support the campaign: "I may not be #Chinese or in #Leeds, but this is an inspirational initiative to support the #NHS - I've donated from #Bristol so over to you good people of #Yorkshire!"

George Ferguson, the former mayor of Bristol, sent a tweet to support the campaign. Photo Credit: George Ferguson

Meanwhile, many doctors, receiving the donated masks, sent thank you notes to the organizers. One doctor wrote, "Once again, we all send our heartfelt thanks to you and the Leeds Chinese community, for your thoughts and kindness...Please take care, and can you send my thanks to anyone who has donated so generously."

The donated surgical masks were sent to the hand of doctors. Photo Credit: Li Sun

"Facing this pandemic, it is so true as Donne's poem states: No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. We would like to thank every donor for their extremely kind and generous donation to this campaign. We are also grateful to Chinese staff and students at the University of Leeds for their great effort and support during this campaign," one organizer said.