UK PM Sunak thanks diplomats, workers with surprise Christmas calls

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak surprised diplomats military personnel charity workers and other public servants working across the world this Christmas by calling them to personally thank them for their sacrifice and dedication in an extraordinary yearDowning Street said the British Indian leaders calls on Friday to diplomats included one to Pakistan to Sherwan Asif who has worked for the British High Commission in Islamabad for more than 12 yearsHe was at the forefront of the UKs response to the devastating floods that ravaged the country in June and Sherwan identified areas in critical need and ensured UKs funding reached the most vulnerable Downing Street saidWhether you are working in Mogadishu or Milton Keynes this Christmas I want you to know that I am personally grateful for your sacrifice said SunakThis year has been an extraordinary year for so many reasons but most of all its been a year in which the true spirit and resilience of the United Kingdom has been on the show from the support given to our Ukrainian friends to the work being done to ensure essential aid reaches the most vulnerable overseas he saidAlso read In Photos 6 Facts about Indianorigin Rishi Sunak who is elected as UKs PMAnd closer to home those who have checked on friends and neighbours volunteers public servants and essential service staff all working over Christmas I am truly humbled by your dedication and I know your selflessness this festive season will spread cheer across the country he addedAlongside Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office FCDO Permanent UnderSecretary Sir Philip Barton and First Sea Lord Admiral Ben Key Sunak made the calls to diplomats in Somalia and Ukraine as well as a Royal Navy ship sailing in AntarcticaIn the UK Sunak surprised Chris Mitchell who runs Smart Play an awardwinning governmentfunded Holiday Activities and Food programme in LondonSunak heard firsthand how Mitchell and his team are supporting vulnerable children across the area with fun activities and nutritious meals throughout the school holidaysSpeaking to diplomat Nic Guffog who is based in Mogadishu Somalia the UK prime minister heard how the foreign office staffer had been using her breather breaks and flights from the UK back to Somalia to bring in Christmas decorations for the UKs diplomatic compound in MogadishuShe told Sunak how staff in Mogadishu were living in containers under the threat of terror attacks and would spend Christmas supporting efforts to counter the threat posed by AlShabaab and helping the Somalian government deal with the hunger crisis facing the countryGuffog who looks after the embassy compound in East Africa said the order for Christmas dinner had to be placed in the spring and had recently arrived by container shipThis years celebrations were particularly special for the embassy after a COVID outbreak last year meant staff couldnt sit together in the compound on Christmas DayAlso on the call list was Svita Yavorska who has spent the year working for the UKs embassy in Ukraine from Kyiv Warsaw and now LvivSvita told the prime minister how she had to flee to Poland following the war in Ukraine before setting up the embassys temporary base in PolandFinally Sunak spoke to some of the crew of HMS Protector which is currently deployed off the coast of the South Sandwich Islands updating navigational charts using the latest sonar technology monitoring the retreat of glaciers and ice shelves and supporting the British Antarctic Survey scientists by delivering vital supplies and fixing any engineering issuesSunak heard how the shipmates are experiencing 20 hours of sunlight a day and had seen whales penguins and endangered turtles during their deployment as well as surveying underwater volcanos and losing 71 to members of the Monserrat national football team during a friendly game on shoreAsking about their Christmas plans the sailors told him they had planned a number of celebrations between keeping watch on the ship including a fancy dress party and Christmas dinner for the ships companyThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever