WHEN disaster struck in Nepal almost three weeks ago, the wheels of fundraising on a global scale clicked into motion on a Chard business estate.

Staff and volunteers at Action Aid’s administrative headquarters on Leach Road have been sifting through sacks of donations in response to a rallying cry for help following the devastating earthquake on April 25, which is thought to have killed more than 7,000 people.

Last Tuesday alone, the office received more than 3,300 responses to the charity’s mailed appeal sent out the previous week.

Donations poured in from children and pensioners, at home and abroad, giving Chard’s postmen a little extra load to carry on their rounds.

Glyn Duke, head of supporter administration, invited the News along to see first-hand the “humbling”

role of sorting the donations.

She said: “In one day, we received seven sacks of mail and anecdotally I’ve been told we were the talk of the Chard Post Office.

“They were all opened and processed and the donations ranged from 32p in cash from an elderly gentleman who gave all he could, to cheques for £5,000, as well as a £10 donation from a little girl who wrote a note saying she wanted to give some money to the children.

It is an amazing response and we are so grateful.

“We have had a constant stream of post throughout the last week and we have almost raised £550,000 which is only going to go up and up.

“We are incredibly grateful to a small number of volunteers who sift through the huge volumes of mail, helping us with mailings and thank-you letters, etc.”

The money will go to aid the charity’s rescue effort in Nepal, initially helping with essentials such as shelter, food and water, before contributing to the longerterm effort in getting families and communities back on their feet.

So how does a global charity end up having an administrative office in Chard?

“That’s quite an interesting point actually,” adds Glyn. “Many years ago, we had a fundraiser making calls and fundraisers would come down to meet here and they thought it would be quite a nice place to have an office, and cheaper, which would allow us to spend the money on more important matters, and we have been here for over 30 years now.”

To get involved or volunteer for the charity call Glyn on 01460 238000.