THE members of both Rotary Clubs in Redditch who organised the enormously successful collection in the Kingfisher Centre on New Year's Eve in the wake of the tsunami disaster would like to thank the people of Redditch for their unbelievable generosity on that day and since, for the amount raised has now exceeded £10,000 and the cash is still pouring in.

Our thanks are also due to Redditch Council and the management and staff of the Kingfisher Centre, who so kindly facilitated the collection.

The people of Redditch should know this money has enabled so far the ordering of 40 large Aquaboxes type 30 for immediate dispatch to the disaster areas, each capable of purifying 30,000 litres of water, which we are sure will do much to help in the terrible situation in which the survivors find themselves.

As there will be an ongoing need for help to the stricken areas for the foreseeable future, we will continue to hold open the fund for any further donations, which will all be spent solely on getting aid to those people so much more in need than are we.

For that purpose, I can be contacted on 403431 or via e-mail: davidjames.hunt@tesco.net

On behalf of the president and members of the Rotary Club of Redditch Kingfisher and the members of Rotary Club of Redditch, our heartfelt thanks.

DAVID HUNT

President Rotary Club of Redditch

MANY of your readers will be aware the Rotary clubs of Redditch and Redditch Kingfisher held a collection in the Kingfisher Centre on Friday, December 31, following the tsunami disaster.

The magnificent sum of £9052.10 was raised and is being used to provide Aquaboxes in the areas of need.

An Aquabox 30 is a plastic container, about the size of a domestic cold water tank, which is filled with water filter kit and sufficient purification tablets to provide 33,000 litres of drinking water.

The money raised will be sufficient to provide about 40 boxes (over 1.25 million litres of water) for immediate use.

Not only must we thank all those residents who put their hands in their pockets but also the town centre managers and the appropriate council staff for giving approval so quickly and readily for the collection to be held.

In addition to the Aquabox 30s, we are also sending out a large number of standard aquaboxes.

These are suitable for private individuals and organisations to sponsor and fill.

If anyone is interested in this, they can contact me on 07968 956511.

Once again, many thanks to the magnificent people of Redditch.

David Tyrrell

International Committee Chairman

Redditch Kingfisher Rotary Club