Widyaratna and Caless raise £11k for The Trussell Trust

Kishani Widyaratna and Kit Caless have helped raise more than £11,000 for people in poverty in the UK.

Widyaratna, commissioning editor at Picador, teamed up with Caless, co-founder of indie publisher Influx Press, to launch the www.gofundme.com/f/uk-publishing-support-for-the-trussell-trust">crowdfunding appeal earlier this month for people in the publishing industry to donate money to The Trussell Trust. The pair originally hoped to get £1,000 for the charity, which engages with 200 food bank centres across the UK providing food and support to people in poverty.

Nearly £4,000 was raised within five hours of launching on 17th December with donations pouring in from across the trade, including from Man Booker shortlisted author Daisy Johnson, author Claire Fuller, RCW m.d. Peter Straus and Galley Beggar Press co-founder Sam Jordison. The target was stretched to £5,000 and then £10,000. The total on the fundraiser, which closed on Monday (23rd December), now stands at £11,570. 

Caless wrote on the fundraising page: "This is such a phenomenal achievement! We initially thought we'd raise just £1,000.

"We're very proud of everyone who has supported this campaign. Thank you so, so much, from us and on behalf of The Trussell Trust."