Look To The Stars News: ShelterBox

Judi Dench Provides Aid To Somalian Refugees

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Actor Judi Dench is the latest celebrity that ShelterBox’s brand of aid has impressed. ShelterBox provides, literally, shelter boxes to victims of disaster. The current target is East African refugees who are fleeing into Kenya from the drought in Somalia.

ShelterBox ships their 110-pound plastic boxes containing the equipment most urgently needed for the vulnerable refugees. A sturdy, weather proof, family-sized tent with internal divisions, thermal blankets and insulated ground sheets, mosquito nets, water purification equipment, a tool kit including axe, saw, shovel and wire cutters, a wood or multi-fuel burning stove, cooking and eating utensils, and even a children’s pack of books and crayons are all possibilities to fill these boxes according to the disaster at hand, as well as the lightweight, waterproof boxes themselves that can be utilized as food storage containers.

“This is a very effective and immediate way of helping those in extreme distress,” said Dench according to a report in the This Is The West Country paper.

Britain's Happy List Honors Those Who Make World A Better Place

Mon, 16 May 2011 15:30:00 +0000

Britain’s Independent on Sunday newspaper has released it’s annual Happy 100 List for 2011, which includes some familiar names for readers of LookToTheStars.org.

The IoS Happy List began in 2008, and lets readers of the paper vote for the people they believe make Britain a better and happier place to live.

Included in this year’s list are:

Joanna Lumley Becomes Disaster Relief Charity Patron

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Actress Joanna Lumley is to become a patron of a UK-based disaster relief charity.

The actress will take up the position for Cornwall-based charity ShelterBox, an organization set up in 2001 that has so far helped over 800,000 people in 57 countries recover from disasters such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, wars, and volcanic eruptions. Established by the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard, the charity is supported by international affiliates set up by Rotary clubs in various other countries, including Australia, USA, Canada, Denmark, Germany, New Zealand, France & Switzerland.

Lumley said she “really loves and admires the charity,” which sends boxes to disaster victims that contain blankets, tents, water purification and cooking equipment, tools and more. The boxes cost £490 each.