A TEIGNBRIDGE rotary club has been commended for its continuing support to an international charity that provides emergency shelter to families throughout the world.

Dawlish Water Rotary Club has once again been recognised for its firm support for ShelterBox - one of the most effective organisations for rapidly transporting emergency aid and shelter to disaster areas around the globe.

The years of ShelterBox support headed by Rotarian Bill Hande for 10 years and now by Rotarian and ShelterBox Ambassador Gray O’Hanlon, chair of Dawlish Water International, have led to total donations of £33,052. It has also earned the club a Silver Award and two Bronze awards in the last three years.

“This is an amazing result and, in many respects, due to the generosity of the people of Dawlish and the surrounding area,” said Gray.

"Many people will be familiar with the turquoise-coloured ShelterBox but this has largely been superseded by Shelter Kits. Each kit is targeted towards particular needs. For example, a Shelter Kit provides tarpaulins and tools to enable families to stay in or close to damaged homes to enable rebuilding.

“Other Kits target winter warmth, family needs such as cooking or personal hygiene but, of course, tents will always be very much in demand."

Currently ShelterBox is actively involved in Pakistan following flash flooding in August, in Afghanistan and Myanmar ( formerly Burma) after severe earthquakes in both countries and in the Phillipines after a super typhoon devastated several of the islands .

The charity is on constant alert to help in Gaza when permitted and currently has 30,000 tents stuck in Jordan, very few of which have been allowed into Gaza. The charity has joined many other aid organisations in calling for a pause to allow humanitarian aid to enter.