Within 48 hours of the earthquake on the Turkey-Syria border members of Somerset Rotary Clubs gathered to fill Rotary Water Survival Boxes for families caught up in the disaster.

Wellington Rotarians filled boxes for 60 families, which have now been shipped from the packing and distribution centre in Radstock to provide a rapid response for families who have lost everything, including access to drinking water.

The standard Water Survival Box is designed for a family of five who have lost their homes and all their possessions following a natural or man-made disaster.

The first priority is a water purification kit to protect against water-borne disease and so the box includes a remarkable Aquafilter, capable of cleaning the dirtiest water and making it fit to drink.

The second priority is to provide survival items for eating and drinking, health and hygiene, basic shelter, simple tools and basic household items – all to help survival for the first weeks and months after a disaster.

Each Water Survival Box costs £150. This covers the cost of the box, the water purification kit, all contents and air freight to the disaster area.

Rotary has already donated over 300 water boxes this year to Ukraine and to Pakistan, and if readers wish to support this latest intent to send 1000 boxes to the earthquake disaster area they can do so through www.watersurvivalbox.org.