CARING pupils have committed to raising money for the victims of major world disasters after hearing about the work of an unusual charity.

Canvey Rotary Club’s international chairman Tony Belford has been taking assemblies at Castle View School, Canvey, and telling pupils about the work of Shelterbox.

The charity provides aid to disaster stricken areas in a box containing a ten-person tent and a selection of other equipment to help an extended family survive for six months.

Now every form group at Castle View School is working on ideas to raise cash for the charity which helped victims of the Boxing Day Tsunami in 2004, Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and last year’s earthquake in China. Mr Belford, who is also a Castle Point councillor, was visiting the school to promote the work of the rotary club.

He said: “Each year the international side of the rotary club selects a number of charities to support.

“Shelterbox is a rotary club charity that was started in Cornwall and in this day and age when you consider there have been 80 major disasters in the past eight years, it’s quite topical.

“Castle View School in particular has always been very receptive to the work of the rotary club.”