News Update 13

11 Mar 2005

News Update 13 – 11^th March 2005

 

www.friendsofunawatuna.org.uk

 

Update from Unawatuna

 

Jake has returned to Unawatuna after a well earned break in the UK. He reports that the village is now looking much tidier, plenty of rubble and general debris is now being removed thanks to funding from the UN Development Fund via the Unawatuna Tourist Development Society.

 

The changes to the reef and shape of the bay wrought by the wave appear to be making their effect known. Yesterday, during a high sea, the water had crossed the road in places, and was close to Ammas guest-house. It seems there is less protection in the bay now, allowing the waves to hit the shore that little bit harder when the sea is rough.

 

A few new temporary structures have gone up on the beachfront, in defiance of the 100m no build rule and the changed sea state, although there seem to be fewer foreigners to patronise them now as many volunteers have returned home.

 

Jake will be reporting back on the progress of our projects over the coming week, along with news from several other volunteers who are heading out very soon.

 

 

General

 

The Website – some of you may have experienced difficulties access this site over the last few days. Unfortunately this was out of our control, but you should be accessing it OK now.

 

A special thank you to Terry Exall from Mastercolour for covering the printing requirements for Friends of Unawatuna, and to Mike Barlow at MiCreative for the design work.

 

Fundraising

 

Amongst many others, thank you to …

 

• Lewes New School of £329.13 from coins brought in by the children.  They created a coin spiral and made prayer flags for victims of the Tsunami.
• Brian Doxey, father of the newly shaven, pink haired, Angie Doxey, held a rock'n'roll dance in the afternoon of February 27th at the Leabrooks Club, Alfreton, Derbyshire and raised £1000. Thanks Brian, and nice website!!
• Andrew Bain tells of a number of fund raising activities :
• • two Law Society offices in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire raised over £1300 by raffling various prizes, cake selling and generous donations. 
  • £127.96 was raised by Round Oak School and when they heard of FoU they wanted to donate the money to us rather than in the DEC fund. Thank you to all of you at the school
  • Thanks to Abbotsford School in Kenilworth. A big ' Thank you ' for everyone's help 
• Thanks to Woodlands Schools, in Warley Street and Hutton Manor, Brentwood, Essex, who have given £285
• The students at Chailey School, gave a concert in Feb. and donated some of the funds raised to the Friends of Unawatuna.
• St Pancras School, Lewes, held a pancake Tuesday event to raise money for the tsunami.  Half the money raised came to the Friends of Unawatuna. Many thanks to Cath Bennett for this.
• The Lewes Tsunami Appeal Music Festival at Lewes Town Hall raised in the region of £5,000 for the DEC.  The bar, which was run by the Lewes Commercial Square Bonfire Society, raised £675 for Friends of Unawatuna, for which we thank them warmly.  Jon Walter and Tanya Smart had a great night too!
• Thanks to Gill from Hands on Pots in Brighton for organising the Tsunami Relief Fayre in Telscombe Cliffs, East Sussex which included an auction and raffle.  All for the Friends of Unawatuna. Thanks Gill.

 

 

 

Kind Regards

 

Jake Zarins

Claire and Jamie Wilkinson

Tanya Smart and Jon Walter

Tarquin and Tine Desoutter

Matt Rose

Nick Keegan

 

 

Friends of Unawatuna

www.friendsofunawatuna.org.uk