15045/1THE plight of tsunami disasater survivors has prompted a massive fundraising drive in north Wiltshire, with thousands of pounds being collected and much more on the way.

Chipenham Rotary Club collected more than £9,000 in just a few hours on Friday.

Chippenham and Wiltshire Vale Rotary president Eric Sambell said: "It became abundantly clear early on in the day that the collecting boxes we were using were not up to the task, as the slots became jammed with notes," he said.

"We quickly deployed buckets. We have never seen so many £20 and £10 notes being readily dropped into our Rotary collecting buckets. Many stories can be told of old ladies emptying the contents of their purses, people putting money in and then coming back to put in more.''

Dozens of other groups and volunteers have been giving time and money after being moved by pictures of the disaster.

Members of Chippenham band Iron the Cat were so horrified by images of the tsunami destruction in Asia they are attempting to raise £25,000 at two events.

The first will be a live concert at the Olympiad for 1,000 people and the second a charity golf day at Bowood.

Singer Richard Ellis, 39, said he had been inspired to act by the images on TV: "It was just so awful. We were sitting there over Christmas thinking the same thing what on earth can we do about this to make a difference?

"Then our drummer, Chris McCormack, decided to actually get up and organise something. It's snowballed from there. We wanted to raise as much as possible, so we thought of a reasonable amount then doubled it."

The Music MAIDe for Asia concert will be the largest project the band, which usually plays at weddings and birthday parties, has ever attempted.

Mr Ellis said: "As well as Iron the Cat we're hoping two or three other local bands will join us and possibly a guest appearance by a celebrity.

"A lot of famous musical people live locally, so it would be good to get someone to open the concert and even do an acoustic set."

Tickets for the February 5 event have not yet been printed, but Mr Ellis anticipates a huge demand.

He said: "They will be restricted so early purchase will be essential. The evening promises to be a great night out whilst at the same time raising money."

Two days later, Golf mAIDe for Asia will be held at the Bowood Golf Club.

Mr Ellis hopes the event will give people the chance to play with a local professional.

"A couple of us from Iron the Cat live at Derry Hill and play golf at Bowood, and it was another chance to raise some more cash," he said.

Once again tickets will go on sale soon, although numbers will be strictly limited.

"We all can't wait for it to happen now. It's just amazing how much support we've received from local businesses," said Mr Ellis.

"I guess we're no different from anybody else. Looking at the pictures and reading the stories, every day something worse is emerging.''

Anyone willing to provide support or assistance or anybody wishing to purchase tickets for either event can call Richard Ellis on (01249) 760688 or e-mail: ironthecat@hotmail.com

Tsunami survivor Paul Rogers, 32, has told his parents he will stay in Thailand for the rest of his three-month holiday, after cheating death on the island of Phi Phi, were hundreds of holidatmakers and locals were killed.

His mum Linda, of Blackbridge in Chippenham, said the family had had an axious wait to see if he survived. "It was after he phoned us that I heard around 300 dead bodies were recovered from the sea. If I had heard that before knowing he was alive it would have been so much worse," said Mrs Rogers.

Workers at North Wiltshire District Council will be able to bid for an extra day's holiday or use of the chief executive's car parking space for a month as part of an auction to raise funds.

Staff at the council's Chippenham headquarters formed a fundraising team and organised an auction.

Hundreds of items have already been donated including, DVDs, CDs, jewellery, clothes, chocolates and wine.

How to help

Wiltshire Mercy Appeal: (07708) 415362 or (01380) 720409

Wiltshire Red Cross: (01380) 730131

Disasters and Emergency Committee (DEC) national number: 0870 60 60 900 email www.dec.org.uk