People of Ryedale rally round to help survivors of disaster (From Gazette & Herald)

People of Ryedale rally round to help survivors of disaster

THE Asian tsumani disaster appeal has been boosted by thousands of pounds in Ryedale in the past week.

Pickering and District Rotary Club raised a massive £8,000 from its street collections in the town and neighbouring Kirkbymoorside.

"It was a tremendous result and we are very grateful for all the support," said president Peter Woodall.

As a result, the club has been able to fund 20 aqua boxes at a cost of £5,000, and has also provided six shelter boxes which contain tents large enough for 10 people, and other facilities.

Meanwhile, members of the Lions Club, Rotary, Round Table and Soroptimists in Malton and Norton defied bleak weather on Friday and Saturday mornings to raise £2,800 through street collections.

Lions Club president Jim Everett said: "The streets were fairly quiet on both days because of the bad weather but we were delighted with the result. People were extremely generous - we even received a £50 note from one supporter."

As a result of the four organisations working together to mount a response to the appeal, Mr Everett hopes the initiative could be built on for the future.

Other donations and fundraising events include:

The people of Stillington, near Easingwold, collected £5,267 in just one day when residents turned out in droves for a coffee morning and a mulled wine evening.

Looies England, a regular at the Wentworth Arms in Old Malton, agreed to have his shoulder-length hair shaved off, inspiring donations totalling £110.

Another local donated a bottle of whisky which was raffled to raise £45, and a collection bucket raised a further £100.

Regulars at the Ham and Cheese pub in Scagglethorpe raised £170 during a New Year's Eve party.

A tsunami aid gig at the Recreation Club, Pickering, on Sunday night raised more than £470. Organiser Cat Bell thanked the club, the bands and all who attended and helped out for their contribution.

"I think it just goes to show what a giving and generous generation we could be," she said. "The amount raised, without any prompting, is amazing, and the selflessness of some people completely amazed me."

The people of Allerston held a coffee morning, raising £1,395.

Nearly £4,000 was raised at weekend services at St Leonard and St Mary's RC Church, Malton. Father Tim Bywater said £3,134 was collected but because a number of people used the gift-aid scheme allowed by the Inland Revenue this meant another £637 would be added to the total.

He thanked the parishioners for the response to the appeal. "In many ways, I am not surprised as the parishioners have shown how generous they can be in such circumstances," he said.

The Diocese of York, the Church of England organisation stretching from the Tees to the Humber and from the East Coast to the A1, is sending £100,000 to help aid efforts.

Villagers at Brawby are holding a coffee morning in the village hall on Saturday at 10am. There will also be a cake stall, bring and buy, tombola and raffle.

A coffee morning, which should have taken place at Hutton Buscel last Saturday, had to be called off when the village suffered power cuts. It is now to be held this Saturday at 10.30am.

A prize bingo is being organised by Ryedale School pupils Nicola and Gemma Richardson, of Kirkbymoorside, for January 26, at 8.15pm at The Royal British Legion Club in Kirkbymoorside.

A car boot sale will be held at Church House, Market Place, Kirkbymoorside, on Saturday, January 22, at 10am. Coffee and tea will be served.

Bulmer residents raised a massive £670 after defying storms, gales and power cuts.

Within hours of the event starting in the village hall, gales swept through the village, axing electricity supplies.

However, undeterred, villagers supplied coffee in a chain of thermos flasks and a small portable gas heater was brought into use.

As a result, there was a bring and buy stall of unwanted Christmas presents, a raffle, plus scones, cakes and biscuits for sale. Fifty people braved the weather.

A hastily arranged coffee morning at St Helen and the Holy Cross Church in Sheriff Hutton, raised almost £2,800 for the DEC tsunami appeal. Warden Roy Thompson said: "It's wonderful we were able to raise so much money, considering we are such a small parish."

Updated: 12:14 Wednesday, January 12, 2005