Shelter after storms

SAVING LIVES: Owen Smith was one of two New Zealand representatives who spent time in tsunami-ravaged Samoa arranging delivery of shelter boxes. He recently demonstrated the kits to the Dargaville Rotary Club.

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Two kits, each providing temporary housing and emergency items for up to 10 people, have been funded through a display at the Northland Field Days.

ShelterBox is a disaster relief charity supported by Rotary. Each large waterproof plastic box, costing $1500, includes a tent, blankets, ground sheets, mosquito netting, water purification tablets, basic tools, a cooker, fuel and cooking utensils.

It relies solely on public donations and says 92 per cent of its funding is spent on aid. More than 1000 boxes have been funded in New Zealand since the project started 10 years ago and they were extensively used after the Samoan tsunami.

Dargaville Rotary Club set up a display at the Field Days with help from Kerikeri, Whangarei and Maungaturoto Rotarians, showing a typical tent set-up.

Rick Stacey, 65, who moves between Britain and Kerikeri, was also there. He plans to cycle the length of New Zealand in November, towing an emergency box to promote the project and establish contacts to act as a support network.

Dargaville Rotary president Henry Paton says the display raised $1200 and a donor offered to top this up to the $1500 needed.

Another anonymous donor offered to buy a second box if a first was paid for.

"The display sparked considerable interest and it is great that we were able to do our bit to assist in disasters like the Samoan tsunami," Mr Paton says.

More information on shelter boxes is available at shelterbox.org.

- © Fairfax NZ News