Conditions and life in Kosovo is still very difficult for people living there. Poverty  and shortages prevail and winter is on the way. 72no. boxes consisting of Emergency (Cold) Boxes, LifeBoxes and Special boxes containing Wellington Boots and warm blankets are being sent overland in a consignment of Relief Supplies to Kosovo, by Hope and Aid Direct.

[Boxes are loaded swiftly from our warehouse]

This convoy leaves early October with a member of The LifeBox team, Rtn. Jill Bates, who is taking a week of her holidays to travel with the convoy and see the aid distributed.

[Boxes waiting for despatch from Rochdale depot]

Background

The devastating flood Yemyin (26th June, 2007) left behind thousand of people homeless in Kech and Gwadar districts of Balochistan, Pakistan. Due to this disaster the most vulnerable groups are women and children who are living in unhygienic and miserable conditions. Soon after the flood the NGOs (local and international) started mobilizing their efforts and relief towards the flood affected areas.

More than 800,000 people are homeless after this most recent Tropical Cyclone swept the coastal areas and made riverbanks burst causing widespread flooding and destruction.

In response to UN appeals for aid to the stricken areas of South Pakistan, LifeBox has sent: -

100 no. Boxes (60no. Emergency boxes, plus 40 no. of the newer Lifeboxes, All these boxes have 6 no. Lifestraw Filters packed inside together with a further 78 no. Items of household goods, clothes, shoes, blankets, first aid items etc.)

Boxes leave UK on Sunday on Emirates flight EK600, via Dubai and will be off-loaded in Karachi on Tuesday 17th July 2007.

LifeBox hosted more than forty Rotarians and guests from District 1050, during their Saturday morning Open Day, which was also attended by DG Michael Barker and Incoming DG Mike Payne.

Groups were escorted around the warehouse workspace, which enabled them to meet with the scheme organisers and staff at DHL, who help administer the scheme.

DHL is the home of LifeBox and facilitates the goods off loading, picking and filling areas and storage facility for filled boxes. Situated only a mile from the M62 Motorway midway between the Ports of Liverpool & Hull, it is ideally placed for ocean shipments and is only 20 minutes drive from Manchester International Airport.

We are pleased to announce that you can now donate online. We are happy to accept donations of any amount or you may wish to order a full LifeBox with a £250 donation.

Don't forget to add Gift Aid to your donation. Using Gift Aid means that for every pound you give, LifeBox will receive an extra 28 pence from the Inland Revenue, helping your donation go further.

This means that £10 can be turned into £12.80 just so long as donations are made through Gift Aid. Imagine what a difference that could make, and it doesn’t cost you a thing.

Mr. Andrew Gwynne MP for Denton & Reddish recently visited the warehouse facility of the LifeBox scheme. Andrew Gwynne MP helped the LifeBox team to pack a box with essential supplies including 6 Lifestraws ready for despatch, Mr. Gwynne commented that he was very pleased to see that the LifeBox scheme can make a real difference to people in disaster struck areas. In particular he mentioned the inclusion of LifeStraws which enables people living in areas where the only available water is contaminated to have safe drinking water.

Rtn.Pam Joyce, Karen Steward, District Governor 1050 Mike Barker, Andrew Gwynne MP, Rtn. Vincent Robinson packing a LifeBox.

The LifeBox and LifeStraw have been featured in a recent Rotary Times article.

"In March, an important deal was struck at the DHL LifeBox warehouse between Brynmawr Rotary Club and the Rotary of Denton & Audenshaw in Greater Manchester which manages the LifeBox emergency box scheme"

Read the full article here

We are pleased to announce the launch of the new LifeBox website. Over the coming weeks we will be adding further features such as online donations and have many more enhancements planned for the future such as box tracking.