Ref. 75654-39 On the ball Crowdys Hill pupils Michael Islip, Amy Eagle and Hannah Bland TSUNAMI APPEAL: A BASKETBALL shoot-out, a coin trail and a charity tuck shop helped Crowdys Hill School pupils raise more than £200 for the tsunami appeal.

Pupils in Year 11 at the special school in Jefferies Avenue decided that they wanted to do something to help after observing the three-minute silence held to remember the victims of the Asian disaster.

They raised £232.78 after organising a tuck shop for fellow pupils, holding a basketball shoot-out competition and making a coin trail with a difference.

The pupils drew a map of the affected areas outside on the basketball court and invited other children to place coins along the outline.

Annie Murray, the teacher who helped organise the fundraising, said that she was proud of the children's efforts.

"It all came from the children," she said. "We had the three-minute silence during our life skills lesson and then we talked about how people were fundraising.

"They wanted to do something so we planned it during our life skills time and went to the school management to get approval.

"This is a special school so I feel particularly proud that the kids were able to take that initiative."

Please help

TO donate call the Disasters Emergency Committee on 0870 60 60 900 or visit website www.dec.org.uk

Or you can send cheques, payable to The Sri Lankan High Commission Disaster Fund, to the Evening Advertiser at 100 Victoria Road, Swindon SN1 3BE and we will forward them to the Sri Lankan High Commission, which can be called 0207 2621841. Mark the envelope Tsunami Appeal. To donate supplies take them along to hangar D1 at Wroughton Airfield and to volunteer phone Manolito Chandos on 07708 415362.

To volunteer at an Oxfam shop to help sort the donations call the Regent Street shop in Swindon on 01793 511138 or the Boroughfield Precinct shop in Wootton Bassettt on 01793 850947.

If you are organising an event tell us on 01793 501806.

Good news

The delivery of aid to the worst-affected areas of Indonesia will be stepped up as officials prepare to open a second airport to overcome bottlenecks.

These have slowed aid distribution at Banda Aceh's only airport were expected to be eased by the opening of a second airport on Sabang Island, just off the northern tip of Sumatra.

"We can double our aid intake into the country," said a US Navy spokesman, Lt Cmdr John Bernard.

Military C-130 transports from several nations are scheduled to arrive in the coming days at Sabang's newly repaired airfield.

The World Food Program has ramped up distribution substantially in the last few days, said spokesman Gerald Bourke, adding that the UN agency was distributing 300 tons of rice a day, with most people around the capital now having with one-month rations of rice, noodles and protein-enriched biscuits.

Thank you

ADVER readers are continuing to dig deep for the appeal.

A Swindon doctor, originally from Sri Lanka, urged people to help the Sri Lankan victims of the tsunami.

And since Dr Kandy Kandiah's plea cheques have been arriving at our offices on a daily basis.

We are forwarding them to the Sri Lankan High Commission.

The total now stands at £2,465.

Amaradasa Yatagama, Minister for the High Commissioner, wrote a letter of thanks for everyone who has donated.

It says: "This will be utilised for urgent humanitarian and relief work in Sri Lanka.

"The donation made will be despatched to the appropriate authorities in Sri Lanka.

"I reiterate my thanks for your kind and prompt response."