Tsunami aid

RMT news – Essential reading for today ’s transport worker FORMER RMT security officer Noel Fernando returned to Britain last month after delivering the union’s emergency tsunami aid to the people of his devastated Sri Lankan home town of Moratuwa, where hundreds died and 15,000 were left homeless. “There was so much devastation, so much to rebuild,” said Noel, who delivered £3,500 worth of medical equipment to Moratuwa district hospital. Noel also handed over a cheque for a further £850 to help buy tools and fishing nets for carpenters and fishermen who saw their homes and livelihoods swept away. “I want to thank you all for sending us the medical aid to be used in the Moratuwa area, where we run 14 clinics at refugee camps,” Dr A P Ratnasingham told RMT general secretary Bob Crow. Former RMT officer delivers tsunami aid Recycle for Red Nose Day YOU can support Comic Relief this year without parting with cash – you can recycle your old mobiles or inkjet printer cartridges. As part of the March Red Nose Day, a recycling company has pledged to give cash to Comic Relief for every mobile and recycled cartridge. This eco-friendly fundraiser will help raise money for this worthwhile charity, which is committed to helping end poverty and social injustice in the UK and the world's poorest countries. The company Eurosource has a website where you can find out which mobiles and inkjet cartridges can be recycled, and exactly how much will be given to Comic Relief for each one. All you have to do is pop your old mobile or inkjet cartridge in a secure envelope and post it to Comic Relief Recycling Appeal, Freepost NAT1990, Falkirk, FK2 9BR. Mobiles and cartridges must be posted by April 15 to allow time for the donations to be processed and the proceeds to be sent to Comic Relief. G For more information visit the website at www.recyclingappeal.com/rednoseday or call 08712 50 50 50. Ten go mad for the Railway Children THE Railway Children charity has launched its forth MAD Day. Friday May 13 will be an opportunity for the rail industry to make a difference to the lives of children living in and around the world’s railway stations. In the ten years since its start the charity has helped over 35,000 children and provided them with shelter, food, healthcare and education. So to celebrate, the theme of this year’s Make A Difference Day is the number 10. The fundraising pack is full of ideas for raising funds and having fun whist doing it. Have a ten-pin bowling evening; challenge your colleagues to see how many cream crackers they can eat in ten minutes, or how many sit-ups they can do. If you give up a treat every day for ten days, the money you save could feed a child in India for two weeks. If 100,000 rail employees raised £10 each, they would raise a total of £1,000,000, which would help thousands of children live a better life away from the railway stations. The charity is particularly in need of support this year following the tsunami disaster. The Railway Children has partner organisations in areas of India affected by the earthquake and tidal wave. In a natural disaster such as this, many children will be missing, abandoned or separated from their parents. Railway Children will support its partners to offer the care, shelter and counselling that the children whose lives have been shattered by the tsunami will need over the coming months and years. G To order a fundraising pack, please contact the Railway Children on 01270 251571 or email at madday@railway- children.org.uk Noel Fernando, in glasses, delivers medical equipment to medical staff at Moratuwa District Hospital, and surveys the devastation on the beach near Galle. 7