The crowdfunding initiative for care for Diane Abbott raised £6000 Pic by Overseas Development Institute
A spoof fundraising page to buy a care package for the Hackney MP Diane Abbott has almost reached the £6,000 goal, most of which will be given to charities within the borough.
Sophie Duker, the 27-year-old UK based stand-up comedian, and a film professional known only as Tony, 25, set up the GoFundMe page last week, after the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington bowed out of campaigning through illness.
The pair paid tribute to the three decades “Lady Di” has spent “battling combined racism and sexism with one hand, and building up Hackney with the other”.
Duker said to EastLondonlines: “I hate to admit it – I was steeling myself for a backlash. I was nervous about putting myself out there in support of someone so supposedly unpopular. But the last week has shown me that Diane Abbott is awesome, and is an inspiration, and is loved.
“Watching the thousands of pounds fly in, seeing the testimonials both public and private that people have sent, witnessing the pure, good, no-fucks-given kindness of strangers has made me feel kind of OK about the world again.”
On the fundraising page, Duker and Tony wrote: “So she ain’t perfect. She slipped up more than once. She’s abrasive. But the level of vitriol, recycled hate and scrutiny she’s been subjected to in comparison to other paler, maler MPs who fudge their numbers, make spurious statements, actively offend and don’t know their Brexit from their breakfast is objectively insane.”
They propose sending her at least two litres of coconut oil, an audio recording of Serena Williams reading Maya Angelou, candles from The White Company, chocolate bars, homemade fried plantain, and more. Further suggestions are also welcome.
After the £100 estimated to send Abbott the care package, the rest of the proceeds will go towards Hackney charities, including LGBT cause Project Indigo and The Crib youth club.
The GoFundMe page will close by Friday 16. See how the fund is progressing here.
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN! less than £100 to go – let’s get Aunty D that CARE PACKAGE and small jollof rice🎁 https://t.co/re4qFAVc4e #DianeAbbott pic.twitter.com/SIfpJAykrc
— Sophie Dukebox (@sophiedukebox) 12 June 2017
