The work of START, the Sri Lankan Trust to Aid and Rebuild Tangalle, is continuing. The gardening event held in New Hedges was highly successful. START founder, Paul Cowper gave a talk on the situation in Tangalle and the whole evening raised £250 for the charity. An art exhibition at Art Matters last Saturday by the artist Sue Pomeroy-Wilkes was also very successful. She has donated one of her impressionist style paintings of Tenby to START. START intends to ask for further donations of pictures from local artists to be auctioned to raise money. The book 'East meets West, a collection of recipes by chefs from all over the world, will be published very soon by Pembrokeshire's own Accent Press. Many of the chefs who have contributed are household names such as Nigella Lawson, Antonio Carluccio and Ross Burden, and the book will be packed with some fabulous mouth-watering pictures. START has been taken on by the organisers as one of the three beneficiary charities. This means that the charity will receive a percentage from sales of the book. Meanwhile, another earthquake in Indonesia on Sunday night caused widespread panic across the Indian Ocean as warnings were given of the possibility of another tsunami. In Indonesia 1,000 people lost their lives and many more have lost friends and family as well as their homes yet again. However, in Sri Lanka people took to the high ground and the jungle to get away from the shore and any possible wave similar to the one that hit on Boxing Day, but it did not materialise, possibly because the earthquake was less powerful. Yet, Sri Lanka is still in desperate need. Building has barely started due to the government policy of an embargo on building within 100 metres of the high water mark. This has given rise to disputes over property rights and the fear among locals that once they have all been moved away from the beaches the big multi-national companies will move in and develop vast tourist facilities there. In less than a month, the monsoons will start making the need for temporary wooden houses to replace the tents urgent. The aid that is getting through to Sri Lanka is all coming from small agencies such as START. The Buckingham Hospital Trust is helping the medical teams to improve the hospitals, while Adopt Sri Lanka has helped many fisherman to get started again by supplying boats and equipment. START can help in the Tangalle Hospital where the demand is so great and also in the schools. Paul has already contacted schools who would be keen to link to schools here in Pembrokeshire. Music and dance therapy, as well as swimming therapy for children now terrified of the water, are other possible projects. The rebuilding of houses will come later when there is more certainty about government policy in this area. Back at home, Paul will be giving a talk at Rosemarket Church at 9.30 am on Sunday. Next month, meanwhile, plans are well in hand for a 1940s evening to be staged at the De Valence Centre in Tenby at 7.30 pm on Friday, May 6. Don't forget to check out the website for a detailed update on the situation. Log on to http://www.startangalle.co.uk">www.startangalle.co.uk.
