Communities answer Haiti's desperate pleas for help

Two members of the band Squeeze are playing in a fund-raising concert at Rustington to pay for ShelterBoxes to be flown to the disaster-torn country.

Each box costs 500 includes a 10-man tent as well as essential food, tools and water purifiers, and is designed to keep a family of 10 alive for at least six months. Some are being used to create an emergency field hospital at Port-au-Prince airport.

Both Littlehampton and Arundel Rotary clubs have already paid for ShelterBoxes to be flown out.

Record response time

ShelterBox Founder and CEO Tom Henderson said: "The devastation in Haiti has moved everyone here. We now have our boxes on the ground and it's a privilege to help. The scale of devastation is huge.

"By the sheer grit and determination of our staff and volunteers we have been able to respond in record time. Our thanks go to the teams of volunteers, as well as to our donors, who have allowed us to do this."

He added that ShelterBox relied entirely on public donations and people's generosity.

Bassist John Bentley, who lives in East Preston, and singer Chris Difford will stage their mini-Squeeze reunion at Coastal Coffee, Rustington, next Friday, and they will be supported by the Mick Koumis Project.

John's wife Sara, the driving force behind the gig, said: "I just feel so helpless.

"We did a similar thing when we were living in Cornwall, in aid of the tsunami appeal, and we raised enough money for three or four ShelterBoxes.

Famous names

"In Haiti, people have nothing at all, no food or water, and no shelter at all."

As well as the music, there will be a charity raffle, with prizes including a day spa package at Bailiffscourt Hotel, in Climping, and some other famous names are rumoured to be dropping in to show their support.

Tickets, priced 5, will be available on the door, which opens at 7.30pm, or from Coastal Coffee in advance.

ShelterBoxes were the brainchild of a Cornish Rotary Club. Arundel Rotary Club collected enough money over the weekend to buy three boxes.

Generous givers

Tony Reynolds, of the club, thanked the town's residents for going out in the pouring rain to donate, and added that every box was numbered so the organisation that funds it can have their name marked on it.

The Littlehampton club has also paid for a ShelterBox, as well as an Aquabox water purifying system.

And Littlehampton Quakers collected 350 for the appeal, after worship on Sunday.

To donate directly to the ShelterBox appeal, call 0300 0300 500 or go to www.shelterbox.org and follow the links.

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