Ascot Rotary Club support for Burma cyclone victims

Following news of the devastation caused by cyclone Nargis in Myanmar, Burma, the Rotary Club of Ascot swiftly effected a donation of £500 to fund a ShelterBox for the stricken area. This contribution was consolidated with similar contributions from many Rotary Clubs to finance an initial deployment of 850 ShelterBoxes, which were distributed in the Irrawaddy Delta region. On Friday 16^th May a chartered DC10 landed in Myanmar with a further 1050 ShelterBoxes for distribution. The boxes were transported straight off the aircraft onto trucks and then into affected areas with the local staff in field.

Each ShelterBox contains a dry weatherproof shelter for 10 people, together with thermal blankets with an insulted ground sheet, water purification kit, cooking utensils including a stove, a toolkit and a children’s kit. Vice President David Marshall said “This project illustrates how Rotary Clubs work together to provide a rapid response to an international emergency. I am very pleased that the Rotary Club of Ascot has been able to be of some assistance in this action.”

This is the fourth ShelterBox funded by the Rotary Club of Ascot in the last 12 months. Previous boxes have gone to Bolivia (2 boxes) and Kathmandu.

The ShelterBox Trust is a registered UK charity that provides emergency aid for victims of natural and other disasters anywhere in the world. ShelterBox was set up by the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard and all aid is distributed from their base in Cornwall. The charity is supported by international affiliates set up by Rotary clubs in various other countries, including Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, New Zealand and the USA.