A LONG-term linking project between West Devon and the area of Tamil Nadu most badly affected by the Boxing Day tsunami disaster could be set up in the borough, steered by the founder of the WestDEN charity. Oz Osborne said everyone has been shocked and saddened by what had happened in the wake of the tsunami ? but in addition to immediate aid, people needed to look to the future. He said: ?Some of us have been discussing a long term way forward for one of the communities affected in areas with which we are familiar. ?Contacts with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in South India were established after a visit by representatives of WestDEN and West Devon Borough Council after an award in 1996. This resulted in the creation of a network that developed projects and set up training and exchange programmes which now extend beyond India.? Mr Osborne said an Indian colleague had recently visited Tamil Nadu and together with friends in West Devon had helped formulate an action plan. ?A group would be set up in West Devon of people acting either as individuals or as representatives of organisations, who together will make a contribution to the long-term regeneration of a community in South India affected by the disaster and with whom people and organisations here could build long term links,? said Mr Osborne. ?The group would be made up of volunteers who will be prepared to offer practical help and include those with expertise in project planning and funding, health, education and other transferable skills.? He said his Indian colleague would identify a community not already receiving help and offer assistance in whichever way they felt most appropriate and sustainable. ?Together we would create a long-term programme that would also enable us in West Devon to learn more about the culture of our Indian partners, and perhaps in time lead to exchanges and other developments,? said Mr Osborne. ?The experience of those of us that have developed such links demonstrates we have as much to learn from people from other cultures as they have from us,? he said. Anyone interested in setting up such a link can e-mail Oz Osborne at [email protected]">[email protected] or call 01822 832897.