Herefordians to help disaster zone

8:35am Friday 16th May 2008

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A BREAKTHROUGH in efforts to help victims of the devastating cyclone in Burma has been welcomed by a Hereford fundraiser.

Ron Giles, the senior vice-president of the Hereford Rotary Club, is delighted aid is finally getting through with help from its members.

Rotary members will be out on the streets of Hereford tomorrow (Saturday May 17) to collect money for victims of the disaster to help alleviate the devastation.

This follows the organisation's success in gaining access into the country to distribute aid. This means shelter boxes provided by Rotary can be distributed to help provide basic facilities.

"We are one of the first aid agencies allowed into the country and we have obtained visas. Some aid agencies cannot get these which means they cannot distribute aid," said Mr Giles.

"Rotary is in there already and we have donated £300,000 so far which will buy 600 shelter boxes and there are another 1000 on the way."

The Shelter boxes contain a tent that houses up to 10 people, six months worth of water purifying tablets and cooking facilities.

"It's good news because at 10 people a tent you are talking about 6000 people being housed with this first lot of shelterboxes."

Tomorrow's collection will take place in High Town from 10am onwards and is being organized by members of Hereford City and Wye Valley Rotary Clubs.

It is hoped that one of the shelterboxes, which cost £500, will be on display.