Big day memory fires fund-raiser

John and Vanessa Haynes wed in Bentota in September, 2002 and were horrified to discover the coastal hotel where they tied the knot and conceived their 18-month-old son, Mitchell, had been damaged by the Boxing Day tsunami.

At the time the disaster struck, Mr Haynes and his brother-in-law, Craig Webb, who plays for Stourport Swifts Football Club, were trying to decide which charity to support when they took part in Wolverhampton's annual Tough Guy competition but news of the tsunami made the decision for them.

Mr Haynes, who worked as a carpenter before he joined the fire brigade six years ago, is also considering taking a career break to use his practical skills to help rebuild Sri Lanka after the earthquake.

The 31-year-old, of Summerfield Road, Stourport, told the Shuttle/Timesand News he had already broken the £100 mark and was trying to get as much sponsorship as possible.

"The Tough Guy contest is a charity event anyway and, when all this happened over Christmas, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to raise some money for it and we feel like we've got a connection with Sri Lanka because we were married there," he said.

"The people over there are extraordinarily kind. It's one of those places that you need to go to experience what they are like."

The annual challenge, on January 30, includes a cross-country run through eight feet high brambles and nettles and an exhausting assault course.

Half of the proceeds go to the Wolverhampton horse sanctuary - Mr Mouse Farm for Unfortunates - but participants choose where their remaining sponsorship cash goes.

Mr Haynes, who is new to the challenge, added: "I've spoken to people who have done it before and they have said it doesn't matter how fit you are, it's the cold that gets you, so we've been running through the river at Far Forest trying to get used to the cold."

His wife, a 27-year-old nurse, added: "I think it's brilliant what they're doing."

A sponsorship form is on display at On The Hob caf in Stourport.

Quiz and auction

cook up £1,200

A FUND-RAISING stalwart from Bewdley says he has been "overwhelmed" by the response to an event he organised in aid of the Asian Earthquake appeal - as it generated more than £1,200.

Twenty-three-year-old chef, Michael Butler, is no stranger to coining in cash for good causes, having notched up around £5,500 for various charities, including Meningitis Research and the NSPCC, in the four years he has worked at the Little Packhorse in Bewdley.

He said, however, he was shaking as he counted up the proceeds of the entertainment on Sunday night, which raised his largest single amount for charity yet.

The activities kicked off with a two-minute silence, which was followed by a quiz, raffle and auction. Lots included a meal for 12 people, to be prepared and served in the highest bidder's home - by the pub's head chef, owner and licensee Michael Gaunt - which cooked up £240 for the appeal.

Mr Butler said: "I was just overwhelmed."

Couple survive a third disaster

A MENITH Wood couple who lived through the Twin Towers attacks and last October's earthquakes in Japan again escaped with their lives - from the Asian tsunami.

Bill and Christine Dance had been holidaying in the Maldives. "I don't want to over-dramatise but it was very frightening," Mr Dance said.

"Walking to breakfast from our waterside bungalow on stilts Christine noticed that the tide was unusually high.

"It swept over the walkways and we realised we were in big trouble. My wife managed to hoist herself on to a balcony and I grabbed and hung on to a post in the rising water."

Exhausted and soaked through, Mr Dance was grabbed by hotel staff and reunited with his wife. They were among about 200 people who eventually reached safety in the hotel, where staff chartered a plane to get people to Mal.

The couple were on holiday in New York and shopping on Fifth Avenue when the attacks on the World Trade Center were carried out.

They were again holidaying in Japan and in a department store, when the country was rocked by a series of earthquakes.

Mr Dance said: "It seems so strange that we have gone through three major episodes in the world."

Groups plan events to help victims

THE efforts of Wyre Forest residents to help the victims of the Asian tsunami are gaining momentum.

A shelter box containing a 10-man tent, warm beds clean water and cooking aids, costing £500, has winged its way to Asia thanks to Bewdley Rotary Club, while Kidderminster Rotary Club is hoping to buy two more after collecting £800 in the town centre, last Saturday.

The organisation's Stourport branch is also appealing for items, including clothes and tools, to be donated for collection boxes. They should be taken to Stourport Library and will be sent to areas hit by the disaster.

A show by FOXS Morris dancers and actors from Wyre Forest Mummers outside the Eagle pub in Cookley on New Year's Day also generated £140.

Meanwhile, every member club of Kidderminster and District Football League has agreed to pitch in £10 and the league management committee pledged to add to this. The league comprises more than 120 clubs - guaranteeing the fund at least £1,200.

Bewdley Motor Cycle Club is also sending more than £100 for the appeal.

As the giant wave struck, members were competing in their annual Boxing Day trial and secretary, Geoffrey Brett, said they decided to donate any profit made "before the dust had settled on the event".

The Band of West Mercia Constabulary is to raise cash for children who have been orphaned by the tsunami at Kidderminster Town Hall on Friday, January 28.

Kidderminster Male Choir and The Valentines ladies choir will perform a mixed programme of popular music with the band from 8pm.

Band chairman, Eddie Barry, said they had all been affected by the shocking images of the devastation and wanted to do something to help.

Stourport 55+ Club is also to donate the proceeds of a slide show on memories of Severn Valley Railways to the appeal. Tickets for the event, at 7.30pm tomorrow at Stourport Social Day Centre, can be obtained by calling 01299 877667.

Staff and students at Kidderminster College are holding a table top sale for the victims of the Tsunami disaster on Saturday, from 9.30am.

A bring and buy sale is also being held by Cleobury Mortimer Churches Together at the village's market hall on Saturday, January 29. Joyce Manning, who can be contacted on 01299 270061, appealed for items to sell.

School's long-term pledge of support

PUPILS at Stourport High School are looking to the future in support of their overseas counterparts affected by the tsunami disaster.

Headteacher, Liz Quinn, is eagerly awaiting word on the name of an individual school that her pupils have pledged to sponsor for the next five to 10 years after being contacted by a family friend spearheading an aid mission in Sri Lanka.

Ms Quinn explained American Gordon Glick emigrated to his wife's native country, Sri Lanka, after his brother was killed in the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Having witnessed at first hand the effects of the Boxing Day tsunami, which destroyed a relative's hotel, the former UNICEF education worker asked friends to help him to buy supplies needed in the areas of Tangalle and Hambantota.

Ms Quinn responded and said Mr Glick was in the process of finding a local school which Stourport High could link up with to ensure its assistance was enduring.

"It makes it very real knowing someone over there," Ms Quinn said.

Anyone interested in helping can contact Ms Quinn on 01299 872950.

The county council's director of education, Julian Kramer, has also appealed for schools to take part in a fund-raising day to support the communities involved in the tsunami tragedy. He asked them to consider moneyspinning ideas for Friday, January 21.

A collection in Franche First School has already raised more than £600 for the appeal and is expected to pass £1,000 after a bring and buy sale is held on Saturday.

Seven-year-old pupil, Harry Murdoch and his sister, Jessica, five, collected £60 from the crowd at last Saturday's Kidderminster Harriers match, while other children donated the contents of their piggy banks.

A barn dance is being held at Cookley School Hall, from 8pm, on Saturday, February 5.

Wyre Forest school pupils have been busy raising cash for the Tsumani disaster appeal.

GENEROUS youngsters at Sladen Middle School are collecting their pennies as part of a term-long drive to aid those affected by the tragedy.

Pupils have begun to collect their spare change in a jar at the Hurcott Road, Kidderminster school for the appeal.

Headteacher, Tom Revell, said the collection was the start of a campaign to raise funds, culminating at the end of the school term in April.

He explained: "We have not found it hard to motivate the children. For a natural disaster it was apocalyptic and the response it has had from the British general public has been overwhelming."

He said the jar had previously been filled three times over to raise money for new bells at St Mary's Church in Kidderminster.

CHILDREN at Cookley Sebright First School raised almost £900 with a non-uniform day and coffee afternoon for the tsunami appeal.

Pupils at the Lea Lane school made a donation to wear their own clothes - known as a mufti day - to help raise £890.

Cakes and snacks were also served at the coffee afternoon, which helped raise more cash.

Headteacher, Martin de Vine, said: "Pupils were aware that many of their parents had already donated to the fund-raising appeal but wanted to do something to help too."

PUPILS at Winterfold House School in Chaddesley Corbett raised about £1,700 for the appeal after one of their classmates witnessed the tsunami destruction at first hand.

Children chipped in their pocket money for the appeal after being told the five-year-old was visiting the Thai resort of Phuket with his family when disaster struck.

The youngster is now safely back in England. Teacher, Cathy Harris, said his story had "moved everybody".

She said: "We feel very touched and moved that the children were so responsive and could be so caring."

"They brought in their pocket money and were really generous because we are talking about £1,700 from less than 350 kids."