THE North Yorkshire trustee of an orphanage in Nepal has said the children are very frightened but safe following the devastating earthquake.

Colin Culley, of Lockton, is a founding trustee of New Futures Nepal, which runs the Hope Centre orphanage in the Kathmandu area.

He said that while the children and staff are currently sleeping outside under a makeshift shelter due to dangerous aftershocks following Saturday’s earthquake, they are all safe, if traumatised by the disaster.

The charity is well supported by people in North Yorkshire, with fundraising trekking events at Castle Howard helping to fund the building of the orphanage.

Mr Culley said: “When we first heard about the earthquake we were immediately concerned. But it’s a large building and it did survive.

“Our chairman was able to get on the phone to the home to confirm they were safe.”

Part of the perimeter wall was damaged and the electricity and water has been affected.

There have been fatalities in the surrounding area, Mr Culley said.

About 40 children are looked after by the charity in the orphanage in Kathmandu and in another on the Indian-Nepalese border.

The organisation was set up by Mr Culley and his wife Sandra in 2003 after they visited Nepal and heard of the plight of some orphaned and disabled children.

Many of the children to first live in the orphanage have now gone on to higher education, with some finding jobs and beginning to live independently.

Mr Culley is appealing for people to donate money in order to help those badly affected by the earthquake in the surrounding area.

He said the charity is run entirely by UK volunteers and any money would go directly to the projects overseen by the charity.

To make a donation to the cause, you can go to their website at newfuturesnepal.org or send a cheque to their UK registered postal address at New Futures Nepal Ltd, 9 Sherlock Mews,London, W1H 6DP.