Martin urges help for Haiti (Cheltenham Liberal Democrats)

Cheltenham Liberal Democrats <info@cheltlibdems.org.uk>

Martin urges help for Haiti

January 15, 2010 11:47 AM

Cheltenham MP Martin Horwood has urged people to give generously to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal for victims of the Haiti earthquake or direct to charities like Gloucestershire-based rescue charity Rapid UK. The former Oxfam fundraising manager urged people not to be put off by stories of help not getting through. The magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit Haiti at 16:53 local time on 12 January.

Martin said 'It always takes a few days to get help in from outside and the challenges are immense in Haiti because the earthquake hit the capital city, including the government and UN infrastructure which would normally help to co-ordinate response. There are clearly problems at the main airport too but these will be overcome. Many DEC member charities like Oxfam already have people in Haiti and will be working right now to assess peoples' immediate need for water, food and shelter. If you don't take a moment to assess and plan, then the aid comes in willy-nilly and people in desperate need get missed. I have complete confidence in the British and international charities to get help to those in greatest need within days. They are used to these situations and will make sure every penny is spent effectively. It doesn't matter whether you can only afford to give a few pounds or you can give much more - it's all valued. Haiti is already one of the world's poorest countries and they really need our help.'

Martin managed Oxfam's main donor appeals between 1990 and 1995 and his team raised millions for victims of the 1993 Maharashtra earthquake in India and the 1994 Rwanda genocide. He worked on a series of co-ordinated DEC for Rwanda and sub-Saharan Africa which between them raised more than £60 million. The DEC brings together all of the UK's leading aid and development charities in co-ordinated fundraising appeals on TV and the internet and channels the money to those best placed to respond to each disaster.

Rapid UK is based in Gloucestershire and has already deployed two teams to the neighbouring Dominican Republic who are waiting to enter Haiti as soon as they can.