A CHARITABLE organisation in Basingstoke has collected more than £500 to help those effected by hurricane Dorian.

Through various donations and events, the Basingstoke Lions Club has donated £500 to the UK’s disaster appeal to help those living in those areas most effected.

The hurricane which struck on September 1 was the most powerful tropical cyclone on record to strike the Bahamas and is regarded as the worst natural disaster in the country's history.

Since the devastation thousands of people have shown their support to help people living in the Bahamas get back on their feet.

Now, the Basingstoke Lions Club, has given its support to the national charity’s appeal to send aid to the county.

Philip Wilson, from the Lions Club said: “There never was a question that we weren’t going to support this appeal, it was just a matter of how much we could donate.

“As a group we always try and support locally where we can, but when issues like this come to our welfare committee where so many people have been affected, we feel like we have to step in.”

To date the number of people who have died as a result of the devastation has risen to 51, with many friends and family still searching for their loved ones.

Philip added: “The Lions internationally have crisis funds that help appeals like this. What our contribution will help is to replenish the funds that are spent so there is a reserve in case of another situation like this.”

The Basingstoke Lions Club has been established since 1967 and has raised more than £500,000 of which around 90 per cent has been spent to support the local community.

The club is still collecting donations for people who still wish to support the appeal visit basingstokelions.org.uk/index.html.