The national fund-raising centre for UNICEF based in mid-Essex was last week clearing the decks ready to take in cash for its India earthquake disaster appeal.

Up to fifty volunteers are expected to be needed to process donations over the coming weeks in what could be the biggest operation the organisation has undertaken since it carried £3 million of relief to war-torn Mozambique.

Head of support services for UNICEF in UK, Sandy Hellier, said the Galleywood centre was set up originally by a former UNICEF director who lived in Chelmsford in order to run the Christmas Card operation.

"It was considered convenient to run fund-raising from here and we have been here ever since, about 20 years," she said.

"We are awaiting the response to our India Appeal and in the meantime we are clearing all donations to our other causes."

Relief supplies will be shipped out of the organisation's European warehouse in Copenhagen.

Chelmsford Mildmay Rotary Club is paying for two aid kits to be sent to the Gujarat disaster zone -- a £450 shelter box for up to 10 people with sleeping bags and survival gear and a £250 Aquabox 30 for purifying water for 120 people a day for four months.

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