DEC Bangladesh Cyclone Launch Press Conference

22 November 2007

Baroness Uddin of Bethnal Green, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Bangladesh will launch the appeal with Chief Executive of the  DEC, Brendan Gormley at 10am in the Media Room, The House of Lords.  

“Millions of people are living without food or shelter”, said Brendan Gormley. “Aid agencies are already on the ground working to rebuild lives and livelihoods.

“The death toll would have been far worse had the investment not been made in emergency shelters and emergency preparation. Donations are needed for immediate emergency supplies and for long-term reconstruction,” said Brendan.

Baroness Uddin said: I am delighted to be working with the DEC - we must act now to assist in every way as this humanitarian crisis unfolds. It is inevitable that water borne diseases will also impact severely on the most vulnerable, particularly children and the elderly."

The Disasters Emergency Committee agencies are Action Aid, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, Help the Aged, Islamic Relief, Merlin, Oxfam, Save the Children, Tearfund and World Vision.

Public donations will be used for immediate needs such as food, clean water, medicines and shelter. But the scale of the devastation is so immense that a huge relief and reconstruction effort will be needed over the coming months.

Ends

1. To attend the press conference please email decpressoffice@dec.org.uk or call 020 7387 0200 or 07930 999014 (out of hours). SECURITY PASSES WILL BE NEEDED

Please donate to the DEC Darfur and Chad Crisis Appeal online atwww.dec.org.uk. The DEC urgently needs your support to help millions survive. Please give what you can!