HUNDREDS of families in the Philippines are putting their lives back together thanks to readers of the Dorset Echo.

The Echo-backed Philippines Typhoon Appeal raised more than £7,000 to help victims of the disaster.

After joining forces with the Disasters Emergency Committee, the Dorset Echo has been overwhelmed by the support from readers.

We received donations large and small from schoolchildren, pensioners, church groups and members of the public to help those struggling to put their lives back together.

People had their legs shaved, gave up their pocket money and held fundraisers across the area to raise cash.

Parishioners at Radipole United Reformed Church raised hundreds for the cause and filled donation buckets.

The Rev David Morgan presented a cheque to the Echo and thanked residents and churchgoers for their generous donations.

Holy Trinity Church in Weymouth held collections at church services raising hundreds of pounds.

A coffee morning event, at St Paul’s Community Hall on Abbotsbury Road on Saturday also raised lots of cash for the Philippines.

The final total raised by our readers was £7,102.63. Every penny has been banked and is being used to help the emergency response.

The money will add to the £73million donated by members of the British public for the Disasters Emergency Committee Philippines Typhoon appeal, to provide aid such as food, clean water and medical care.

Our sister paper, the Daily Echo, also raised around £10,000.

Group editor of the Daily Echo and the Dorset Echo Toby Granville said: “We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who donated to the appeal.

“The response has been incredible – we’ve been absolutely amazed at how many people have sent in a cheque. Every single penny raised will go directly to helping those who need it most. We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of all those who decided they couldn’t simply stand by and see the coverage in the news without helping those who lost everything in the typhoon.”

  • DEC’s Emergency Medical Specialist Team, deployed within a week of the response, have given urgent medical help to hundreds of people Another part of the team of medical specialists went on board HMS Daring travelling from island to island.
     
  • FOUR million people are now homeless and over a million homes destroyed or damaged by the typhoon. People take shelter wherever they can find space.