Rotary Club members will be at Festival Place in Basingstoke, on Saturday, to collect money for the charity Shelterbox, to provide relief to disaster victims in Burma and China

SHOPPERS in Basingstoke are to be asked to support relief efforts for the thousands of disaster victims in Burma and China.

The Rotary Club of Basingstoke Deane is mobilising members to collect life-saving donations for the charity Shelterbox, so it can provide much-needed shelter and clean water supplies for victims of the Burmese cyclone and Chinese earthquake.

The charity was the first UK team to enter Burma - where up to 100,000 people are thought to have perished. In China, 50,000 are believed dead and, in both countries, the calamities have left many more without homes and at risk of disease and hunger.

The charity's first batch of "shelter boxes", packed with tents and survival essentials, were flown out to Burma - now known as Myanmar - on May 14.

On Saturday, the Rotary Club of Basingstoke Deane will be deploying 18 collectors in Festival Place shopping centre, in Basingstoke, to raise money for shelter boxes - which each cost £480.

Those unable to contribute in person can send money via Gazette Newspapers. Donations must be received by May 31.

Brian Whindle, Rotary Club of Basingstoke Deane's international chairman, said: "We are grateful to Festival Place and Gazette Newspapers for supporting this collection for the survivors of the cyclone in Burma.

"All the money collected on Saturday by our team in Festival Place, and through any donations to Gazette Newspapers, will be used to buy shelter boxes and aqua boxes."

The aqua boxes contain water purification equipment.

Jimmy Wan, Basingstoke Chinese Association chairman, said the images of suffering have shocked the local Chinese community.

He said: "It's terrible. Everyone in the community is really sad about this disaster and hopefully everyone can give as much as they can to provide what is desperately needed."

All donations will help buy shelter boxes containing a tent, blankets, a multi-fuelled stove, water purification kit, tools and other necessities to help a family of 10 survive for six months.

The team of collectors will be posted around the shopping centre between 9am and 5pm, and the shelter and aqua boxes will be displayed on the first floor.

Cash is accepted and cheques are to be made out to the Rotary Disaster Appeal. Cheques can be posted to Gazette Newspapers, Pelton Road, Basingstoke, RG21 6YD, marking envelopes "Shelterbox".

Shelterbox was founded by a Rotary Club in Cornwall and adopted by Rotarians throughout the UK.

Shelterbox founder Tom Henderson said: "We have received tremendous support from Rotarians and would like to extend our thanks. Without the support of our Rotary friends we would not be able to carry out this essential work."

You can find out more about Shelterbox by logging on to www.shelterbox.org

9:51am Wednesday 21st May 2008

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