Rotary’s Shelterbox collection raises thousands for earthquake victims

Town centre shoppers gave generously to the collection as Basingstoke Deane Rotary raised £3,400 for the earthquake victims.

The Rotary had put up a tent in Porchester Square with a display of the life-saving equipment that Shelterbox sends out to all disasters around the world.

Now a charity in its own right, Shelterbox, which was originally set up by a Rotary Club, has warehouses all around the world storing emergency equipment needed in disaster areas including tents to accommodate survivors, water filtration equipment, water containers, cooking utensils, and everything needed to service any type of disaster.

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All of the £3,400 collected on Saturday will go to Shelterbox to help replenish their stocks used in Turkey and Syria.

Former mayor Jane Frankcum, who is an honorary member of Basingstoke Deane Rotary, helps with the Rotary club collection (Image: Newsquest)

A Rotary spokesperson said Shelterbox was one of the first charities to send a team to Syria as soon as news of the earthquake broke.

The Basingstoke Deane Rotary Club has also donated £1,000 from their own disaster fund to Rotary Wessex District who in turn have set up a Turkey/Syria Earthquake Disaster Fund.

Rotary said 100 per cent of all the money collected goes to the cause either via other charities they work with such as Shelterbox or to fellow Rotary Clubs in the area where the donation is needed. No administration money is taken from any money donated.