This photograph of Sophie Thurlow of the Rotaract Club of Edinburgh appeared in last week's issue of Scotland on Sunday.
Sophie and other Rotaractors helped PoppyScotland create their Field of Remembrance in Princes Street Gardens. Read more on the District website : Poppyscotland Field of Remembrance
Following the devastating typhoon in the Philippines, clubs and individual Rotarians wishing to make an immediate response should consider supporting either of the emergency box services - ShelterBox or Disaster Aid - whose statements are included below.
You may also wish to consider making a donation to the Rotary GB&I Donations Trust : click here
Clubs will be made aware of further information as it becomes available.
On 18 October 2013, Disaster Aid International (DAI) deployed DARTs to Bohol in the Philippines in response to the 7.2 magnitude Earthquake. Members of the team from the UK and Australia quickly put together a plan to house more than 1,000 people displaced by the traumatic quake. Working closely with An NGO Balay Mindanow , a plan was put in place to deploy the aid.
No sooner had they implemented the plan along came Super Typhoon Haiyan The most powerful Typhoon on Earth this year, with winds of 300 Kph.
Having safely survived the team is now assessing the damage brought about by the Super Cyclone. Disaster Aid UK Spokesman , John Steward (Chair of DAUK & I) appealed to Rotary Clubs throughout the UK, " Please help support our efforts, to bring shelter, water filters and supplies to these poor people devastated by two major Disasters within three weeks ". Visit disasteraiduk.org.
From ShelterBox
With winds of 195mph, Super Typhoon Haiyan (known locally as Yolanda) which struck the Philippines is predicted to be the largest storm ever recorded to make landfall, surpassing Hurricane Camille in 1969.
A tropical storm expert speaking to the BBC said, 'Super Typhoon Haiyan really is a beast. One of the strongest storms ever recorded with sustained winds of 190 mph, gusting even higher.'
It is reported that more than 12 million people are at risk from the storm, including the population of the countries second largest city Cebu. Schools and offices have been closed, with local flights suspended. Thousands of people have been evacuated and thousands more have fled their homes as the category 5 storm approached. Powerlines have been overturned as 5m (15ft) waves crashed against the islands of Leyte and Samar in the central Philippines.
ShelterBox currently has a team based in the country, responding to a 7.2-magnitude earthquake that hit Bohol on 15 October. Despite deteriorating communications lines ShelterBox spoke with Response Team members Arnold Kelly (NZ) and Tim Vile (UK) this morning.
Response Team Members Mark Dyer from the US, and Paul Crudington from the UK took shelter last night, as did thousands from the coastal areas of Bohol, a popular tourist destination that has barely had time to recover from the earthquake. Mark says,
