Rotary Clubs in Great Britain and Ireland have been working around the clock to meet the urgent demands for aid in Pakistan . With the onset of winter the need for shelter for homeless families is acute and Rotary Clubs in Pakistan are desperate for tents, blankets and medical supplies. This operation has been greatly aided by the generous offer of free air transport from Virgin Atlantic Airways who are donating a flight to Rotary next week. The airline is donating the use of a Boeing 747 aircraft, with a cargo capacity of 55 tonnes, which will fly from London Gatwick to Islamabad on Monday evening. The plane will be filled with 600 Rotary Shelterboxes, tents and medical supplies provided by Rotary Clubs throughout Great Britain and Ireland ..
Mike Webb President Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland said “We are very grateful to everyone at Virgin Atlantic for this generous offer, which will make a difference to thousands of families who will be benefit from this aid as the harsh Himalayan winters take hold. Through our Rotary network in Pakistan we know that the aid will reach those who need it very quickly”.
Sir Richard Branson, Chairman of Virgin Atlantic, said “Everybody who works for Virgin Atlantic has been shocked and saddened to see the devastation in Pakistan caused by the recent earthquake. This terrible tragedy has left thousands of families without shelter with a harsh winter approaching. With stocks of tents, blankets and other essential supplies now exhausted in Pakistan , Rotary has no choice but to fly these supplies in. We hope the British public and other British companies will continue to support the relief effort to avert a loss of life greater than the original earthquake.”
Many hands make light work!
Dr Maleeha Lodhi Her Excellency High Commissioner of Pakistan said today “We are very grateful to Virgin Atlantic and to all the Rotary Clubs both here and in Pakistan for their swift response to the earthquake disaster and for all the aid already shipped and distributed in the affected area. It is an impressive response which has helped save so many lives“
To date Rotary has shipped 1200 Shelterboxes, thousands of tents, 852 Aquaboxes and 300 Emergency boxes to Pakistan . Rotary is also supporting the International Rescue Corps who have a team of 6 Scotsmen and 8 Englishmen working in the earthquake area.
Rotary Clubs in India and Pakistan are assisting with the relief effort, in particular many medically qualified Rotarians from Chandigarh and the Punjab, are working as volunteers in the affected areas.
Often very precarious routes across dangerous, crumbling roads !
Each Aquabox can supply a family of four with pure water for three months, and each Shelterbox includes a tent and basic necessities for up to 10 people. An Emergency box provides blankets, clothing, food and essential items. Please click on this link to learn more about this amazing charity.
Vision Aid Overseas
The aim of the Vision Aid is to collect old spectacles that are no longer required and to give them to people abroad - primarily in the poorer African nations and also in India where established clinics carry out eye tests for people in need.
We have collected well over 2500 pairs of spectacles with the help of the local community. These glasses are sent to prisons where trained inmates calculate the lens prescription and prepare the glasses for their new owners.
