Today’s Christchurch visit by Her Royal Highness the
Duchess of Cornwall provides recognition of the New Zealand ShelterBox team’s
post-earthquake efforts and their disaster response contribution around the
world.
ShelterBox provides emergency accommodation and other
survival essentials to disaster victims and was one of several volunteer
organisations invited to meet the Duchess of Cornwall and HRH the Prince of
Wales during a walkabout in central Christchurch today.
The Duchess of Cornwall was first introduced to the
work of ShelterBox during a visit with the Prince of Wales to Pakistan in 2006,
where they saw the charity’s work in the aftermath of the Kashmiri earthquake.
Her Royal Highness was so impressed by ShelterBox’s innovative relief concept
that she agreed to become President of the charity to show her support for
their work.
As President of ShelterBox, Her Royal Highness has a
strong interest in the work of the charity, and visited the ShelterBox
headquarters in Helston, Cornwall in 2010 to personally thank volunteers who
had provided relief for people affected by the earthquake in Haiti, during
which ShelterBox deployed some 28,000 boxes providing ‘shelter, warmth and
dignity’ to more than 300,000 people.
“ShelterBox’s
strength and ability to respond quickly are a testament to the fantastic
support and goodwill of its volunteers all around the world,” says Her Royal
Highness. “I am very proud to be the President of this wonderful charity, and I
have every faith that ShelterBox will continue to move from strength to
strength over the next decade.”
Since its creation in 2000 when it sent a consignment
of 143 boxes to earthquake victims in the Indian state of Gujarat, ShelterBox
has established affiliates in 20 countries around the world, including New
Zealand. More than a million people have now received ‘shelter, warmth and
dignity’ from ShelterBox.
“We’re
delighted and honoured to host our President and Royal Patron in Christchurch
today,” says Michael Cahill, ShelterBox New Zealand’s Communications Director.
“This visit is a fantastic acknowledgement for ShelterBox and recognises the
many millions of people who have been affected not only by the Christchurch
earthquake, but also the people around the world who we have been able to help
following natural or manmade disasters over the last decade.”
ShelterBox
is currently deploying its kits to assist in disaster relief in Syria, Iraq and
Nigeria. “Nigeria recently experienced the worst flooding in 50 years with
thousands of people having been displaced from their homes,” says Cahill.
“While some families have been able to return to their homes as water levels
dropped others’ homes have been completely washed away. The boxes that are
provided to families will mean that they can relocate their ShelterBox tents
near to the rivers and resume fishing, which is their source of income, as soon
as possible.”
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