Knutsford shoppers donate £5k to help earthquake survivors

Every penny handed in during the four-day collection at Booths supermarket will help to provide vital emergency support for families who have lost everything.

Knutsford Rotary Club is sending the money to Shelterbox to support the Rotary Disaster Relief Fund.

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As a voluntary organisation, no administrative expenses will be deducted from donations.

Though the death toll is now more than 45,000, it is the survivors, who desperately need help.

Rotary members in Turkey and Syria are ideally placed to identify immediate needs, and can ensure that relief efforts are directed to the right place.

Tony Booth, president of Knutsford Rotary, said: “It is heartening to see the huge generosity of Knutsford people.

“I thank you all for your most generous donations.

“I also pay tribute to the Rotarians who quickly pulled this effort together and to all the 30 volunteers who gave their time to help with the collection.

Rotarians Alan Ingram and Andrew Lloyd-Green manning the final shift collecitng donations at Booths supermarket on Sunday afternoon (Image: Knutsford Rotary Club)

“Many of the volunteers were mobilised by Knutsford Hosts and others who had previously turned out to help us marshal the Covid vaccination programme over the last two years.

“It seems Knutsford could be the volunteer capital of the UK.”

From Thursday to Sunday, a steady stream of substantial donations filled buckets at the Knutsford supermarket.

Gift aid has added almost 25 per cent to the total figure.

Tony said: “We are also indebted to the management at Booths, who kindly gave us permission to hold this collection in their store, without which, none of this would have taken place.

“Thank you to you all.”

Shelterbox contains a tent for 10 people, blankets and a groundsheet, cooker and utensils, water purification filters, solar lamps and various tools.

Shelterbox contains a tent for 10 people, blankets and a groundsheet, cooker and utensils, water purification filters, solar lamps and various tools (Image: Knutsford Rotary Club)

The idea is to provide this emergency help until major aid programmes get underway.

Shelterbox agents are already on the ground establishing urgent requirements, which are being flown in from stores distributed around the world.

The Rotary organisation has members in both countries, who are ideally placed to determine what is needed, and they have, with sufficient funding, the ability to deliver it.