Dear Friends
Worst Earthquake in 50 years
We all know that at 8:50am on 26 January something terrible happened in and around Bhuj in India. It was India's worst earthquake in 50 years that ended the lives of between 30,000 and 100,000 and changed irrevocably the lives of many more. There were children who woke up that morning and found that they had no parents or family any more. Others lost their husbands, wives, brothers, sisters and family and friends they loved dearly. Many people got injured and hundreds of thousands lost their homes, businesses and their source livelihood. In fact a few seconds of the fury of earthquake created havoc and untold damage to lives and property of many hundreds and thousands of people.
We offer Love and Friendship
In spite of the giant strides in science and technology, man is helpless against such acts of nature. Also, we can never restore the unbearable loss that many thousands of our sisters, brothers and children have suffered in Gujarat. However, what we can certainly do is to offer our love and friendship to these people by donating money generously. This money can contribute to a smile on their faces and restore some semblance of normality.
We express Generous and Warm Friendship
To enable you to express your generous and warm friendship to our brothers and sisters in Gujarat, the Bristol Hindu Temple Management Committee is launching an appeal for raising funds. The Temple Committee has taken the view that at present there is tremendous goodwill towards the earthquake victims resulting in raising large amounts of money, clothing and other items of equipment. That is marvellous.
Long Term Help and Support
However, the Committee feels that the situation in six months time may be very different. There will still be need for help but it may not be as enthusiastically forthcoming as it is available now. We hope to be able to help then by using the funds raised during the period of six months or longer starting with the launch of our appeal on 25 February.
Specific Help Projects
Our funds will be targeted at specific projects e.g. an orphanage, a school, equipment for a hospital etc. and the nature of the project will be identified based on knowledge of the local need.
Launch of our Special Appeal Fund
The Temple Committee organised the launch of the appeal for the Gujarat Earthquake victims on Sunday 25 February with a religious ceremony called Gaitri Yajna held at theTemple. The Yajna took place at 10:30am and lasted for two hours. The Lord Mayor kindly accepted our invitation to attend our appeal launch and thus express the City's support for this noble aim. He was be at the temple at 1pm. We also invited the High Commissioner for India and his representative was with us on that day. The event finished with Prasad (light lunch).
How to donate
The Bristol Hindu Temple Committee has set up a special fund for the appeal and will operate this fund through a separate bank account. You can make your donations by cash at the temple or by cheque. The cheque should be made payable to The Bristol Hindu Temple Appeal Account. The Bristol Hindu Temple Committee would manage the appeal funds on a voluntary basis and the funds will be held in Trust under the present trustees of the Hindu temple.
Tax relief on donations!
Please note that we can reclaim tax on your donations and thus raise a significant additional amount. For this you will need to obtain a receipt from us for the amount of your donation and fill in a simple 'Gift Aid' form. Forms are available at the temple or from our treasurer Pankaj Pandya. Please return all completed forms to Pankaj. This will not affect your personal tax liability in any way.
Please show your support to the earthquake victims by donating generously.
