The amazing concept of "ShelterBox" created and developed by one man is now bringing comfort to thousands of people troubled by various disasters.

Tom Henderson a Rotarian from Cornwall had experience from his days as an ex naval officer in dealing with problems and finding simple solutions. His comment to his Rotary Club was "Hey, I had an idea which could bring shelter and beds to people who have become homeless in disasters around the world ---- and all in a single box." So the idea was born.

A rigid plastic ShelterBox is approximately a one metre cube and filled with life support equipment for 10 people. It contains a tent, sleeping bags, cooking stove, utensils, pots and pans, water purification equipment and a range of working tools to assist in construction of a devastated home. Also it has essential pencils and paper to keep children happy and all for the basic cost of £490.

Brian Dryden, a Wimborne Rotarian, with his wife, Pat, took up the local challenge to generate enough money in one year to buy at least ten boxes. "It is such a good idea" said Brian at the time "every box is numbered and eventually we shall find out where they have been sent to." Brian and Pat and their team through sheer hard work and dedication were incredibly successful. By the 10th April, they had raised enough money to fund 28 boxes, an achievement celebrated by a dinner at the Canford Magna Golf Club. (Please see the link below for the full report).

Currently over 500,000 people have been making use of them and it has now become a world wide Rotary project. If you would like to make a contribution to buying one of these the please contact Brian Dryden on 01202 - 886450

The Dutch Navy has stepped in to deliver emergency aid from the UK charity ShelterBox to hurricane victims in a remote region of Nicaragua.

The unusual partnership has seen aid for around 2,000 people delivered to coastal communities devastated when the Category 5 storm Hurricane Felix hammered into the Central American country on Tuesday 4th September.

More than 150 people are believed to have been killed after winds of up to 160mph hit Nicaragua's north-eastern coastline. Thousands were also left homeless after the immense power of the storm destroyed homes, trees and crops. Torrential rain is also reported to have destroyed as many as half the houses in the town of Puerto Cabezas.

ShelterBox - a disaster relief charity set up by a Cornish Rotary Club in 2001 - recently sent 200 boxes of tents and other emergency supplies to the Dutch Navy's base in Curacao. Over the past few days, the crews of HNLMS Van Nes and Pelikaan have been busy distributing the ShelterBox aid.

"We gave them five there and then but, after the Dutch ship reached the Antilles, I had a phone call from their senior officer in the West Indies asking for 200 boxes. We knew the hurricane season was fast approaching so flew them out ready for just such a situation as this."

The aid sent by ShelterBox was held ready when Hurricane Dean threatened Jamaica and Mexico last month but that storm fortunately wreaked far less damage than had been predicted. However, Dean was swiftly followed by Felix - the first time on record that two Atlantic hurricanes have made landfall as Category 5 storms in the same season.

An officer from the Van Nes said the two Dutch ships have been providing humanitarian relief in the north east part of Nicaragua - including water, food, technical and medical support, they have provided the inhabitants of a few smaller communities with ShelterBoxes.

He said: "As every house in the area is damaged and most houses don't have a roof anymore, the people were very grateful for a roof over their head."

Tom Henderson added: "We're now going to be restocking the Dutch fleet in the West Indies with more boxes. The hurricane season isn't over until December and although Felix's arrival was unprecedented we have to be ready for anything."

In addition to working with the Dutch Navy, ShelterBox also currently has a team delivering aid to victims of the recent earthquake in Peru. For more information about the charity's work visit www.shelterbox.org or call 01326 569782.