Liberal Judaism is supporting a new project from UNICEF, which seeks to fund the biggest international vaccine drive in history.

VACCINAID, also titled Give the World a Shot, aims to help get vaccines to some of the poorest and most remote parts of our planet.

Led by UNICEF UK, with the online fundraising platform Crowdfunder, the campaign offers people in Britain a practical way to give thanks for their own free Covid-19 vaccination, by making a voluntary donation to help pay for jabs for others around the world.

Just £25 could provide 20 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to health workers, teachers and those most in need. The total goal is to deliver 2.5 billion vaccines to more than 90 low- and middle-income countries.

Tony Samuel – a member of the Liberal group in the Oxford Jewish Congregation (OJC) and a retired professional fundraiser and advertising executive – played a major role in pulling the campaign together, after a friend of a friend called him two months ago with the idea and asking for advice.

Enthused by the idea, the two worked together on writing a plan and seeking out contacts to take it further including a former CEO of a major charity, who connected Tony with the Church of England and the Archbishop of Canterbury.

That led then to meetings with other faith leaders and then UNICEF, with the humanitarian charity agreeing to take on the campaign, as well as the NHS – which is supporting it.

Tony said: “We’re so lucky in the UK to have free vaccination through the NHS and I’ve seen first-hand the excitement of people when they come out of the centres.

“Our idea was that, in this moment of joy, there is a chance for each of us to give something back and play our own small part in helping UNICEF get people vaccinated across the world.”

Liberal Judaism’s Chief Executive Officer Rabbi Charley Baginsky added: “As Liberal Jews, we try and use every opportunity to make the world a fairer and more just place for all.

“This simple yet wonderful idea of giving a small donation after receiving our own vaccination really will achieve that and help so many people who otherwise may have suffered.”

VACCINAID is also being backed by other major faith groups, businesses and celebrities. For more information on the campaign go to www.vaccinaid.org to donate or begin fundraising.