Dartmouth Rotary club took to the streets in the wake of the Indonesian tsunami to raise funds for ShelterBox.

A 7.5. magnitude earthquake and a deadly tsunami has left at least 1,400 people dead in Sulawesi Island. ShelterBox is sending aid to families affected by the disaster.

Thanks to the generosity of Dartmouth residents and an emergency license issued by the District Council, the Rotary Club collected £1,030.

Club President Peter Goldstraw said: “Dartmouth Rotary is extremely grateful to those members of the public who donated so generously to our “flash collection” for the victims of the tsunami in Sulawesi, Indonesia.

“We recognised that if we were to provide timely assistance in this dreadful situation we had to streamline the organisation of our fund raising efforts and rapidly gain the permissions necessary from South Hams District Council.

“Led by Rotarian Geoff Hicks we were able to accomplish all of the steps, which usually take weeks to arrange, and to get a team of our members out on the streets collecting donations within a few days of the full extent of the devastation becoming apparent.

“The humanitarian response of the public was magnificent and we were able to raise a substantial sum for ShelterBox as soon as their appeal was launched and their planning and logistics were in place.

“There are lessons to be learnt from the success of this prompt response to a humanitarian disaster which we hope will enable Dartmouth Rotary to be better placed to help with future calamities.”

Shelterbox state that right now, around 85 million people around the world have been made homeless by natural disaster and conflict.

The charity is working to change this by providing emergency shelter and tools for families robbed of their homes by disaster. They are transforming despair into hope.

If you missed the street collection donations can be made direct to ShelterBox at https://www.shelterbox.org/