MORE than £4,000 was raised in a single phenomenal day of street collecting in Okehampton last Saturday to help the survivors of the devastating Asian tsunami. On street corners throughout the town, an army of volunteers stood with collecting tins which were soon rattling with generous donations. A total of £4,031 was raised on the day, including pledges of £250 from the Round Table and £50 from past Tablers ? enough to purchase 16 Rotary AquaBoxes, which provide clean drinking water and other emergency supplies. Judy Pride, who helped organise the day of action said: ?It was just incredible. We were absolutely taken aback and humbled by the response.? The appeal fund was further boosted with a pledge of £6,000 from Okehampton College, raised from sponsored walks, a non-uniform day and a PTFA dance. Thanks to this and other contributions the initial target to raise £12,500 to provide fresh water to supply a population the size of Okehampton for approximately four months has now been met. Mrs Pride said the immediate aim was to raise money to get fresh water out to people in areas where the water supply had become contaminated. And she vowed there was a ?huge commitment? among organisers to continue fundraising in the coming months. She said organisations in the town were coming together to discuss the possibility of staging a large fundraising event culminating in an evening concert, perhaps as soon as mid-March. Mrs Pride said any organisation who would like to join in a day of future fundraising, should get in contact on 01837 53883 or come along to a meeting to discuss the next stage, being held at the Ockment Centre at 7.30pm on Wednesday, January 19. She added: ?I want to say thank you to the people of Okehampton and the surrounding areas. ?The atmosphere on Saturday was absolutely fantastic. Boy, was it hard work counting all those pennies, but it was well worth it!? John Moppett, president of Okehampton Rotary Club, thanked everyone for their generosity: ?Any monies that are to be passed to this appeal will continue to be used without any deductions. ?We can then look at the longer term problems in conjunction with the Lions clubs and Rotary clubs in the countries affected to ensure that the aid is targeted as required.? A consignment of clothes, bedding, medical supplies and dry rations collected by members of Okehampton Lions was among aid supplies flown out to the survivors of the disaster from Newquay Airport this weekend. The Ockment Centre in Okehampton made its premises available for people to drop in items, which were taken to Folly Gate village hall at the weekend where they were sorted, bagged and boxed ready for dispatch. Lions president Mike Chastey said around 90% of the items donated were suitable to be sent to Asia, and the remaining items would be distributed to local good causes. At 7am on Sunday, members of the Lions gathered at Folly Gate to half-fill a 44-ft trailer supplied by Gregory Distribution of North Tawton, which was then driven to Newquay Airport. The donated items are now already on their way to the affected areas. Lions president Mike Chastey said he had been amazed by the generosity people had shown in donating items. ?The response has been tremendous. We had 17 Lions there on Sunday and it took them an hour to load the lorry.? Mr Chastey said there were still a number of other items which had been donated and if there were enough these would be taken to Newquay again this weekend. He thanked the Ockment Centre, Folly Gate village hall, Gregory?s and everyone who had contributed items to the collection.
