This is a private fund setup in the UK and not a registered charity.

Firstly, I would like to thank everyone for the support both financially and personally, that everyone has given to enable this project to get underway.

I was in London, not in Sri Lanka, and hence safe. I returned to Sri Lanka on the 20th January. As you may know, for the best part of last year and this I have been building up a life in Arugam Bay on the East coast...

Past

I found out about the tsunami on the afternoon of the 26th, and for 3 Days was unable to get any more than 45 seconds of contact with anyone in the area. All communications were otherwise down. Suffice to say, what little news we had sounded very bad indeed. Even though Colombo, on the West coast, had the entire country to break the force of the wave, it was very badly hit. Arugam Bay and Pottuvil in the South East were directly in line of sight with the epicentre.

I managed to get a call through on the 29th. The news with regard to people known to me has been far better than anticipated. My business partner, Naleen, found his family alive in a town 40km away, after a two day search. His wife and three girls had been evacuated there. Better still, incredibly, with the exceptions of the owner of another Hotel, a friend of mines son, every single person I can think of that I know in Arugam Bay, and the rest of Sri Lanka, has survived. Even the dog, Buckley, made it. We had been extremely, extremely fortunate.

ON THE GROUND

Arugam Bay and the local town Pottuvil, have been devastated. Apparently, the second wave reached above the roof of restaurants, which would put it at least 8 meters above sea level. The third wave was even bigger. I was told that every building (bar one) in Arugam bay had been destroyed. This turned out not to be the case at our Hotel –Rocco’s.
We lost the Beach bar and front office which was also the Managers, Summons house but the main buildings remained standing although totally unusable without substantial refurbishment, plumbing & electrical.
The bay has been described as "a huge sand dune", and "wiped clean". In town, thousands of homes, often made only of wood, had been flattened. Any still standing were 6 ft deep in water. All belongings lost. The bridge between Arugam and Pottuvil had been knocked out. Hundreds were killed. Many missing. 15,000 people are without homes in this small area alone!

WHAT NOW?

Over the past years, I have gotten to know the local community very well. I have a great fondness and respect for them. They are very hard working, decent people with strong backbone. They are also poor: mainly fishermen in Arugam Bay, and small traders in Pottuvil. They have suffered for years from the troubles in Sri Lanka, and only recently, since the peace deal, have they started to build up their community again; making this disaster all the more tragic.

My concern is that the Sri Lankan government have put most of their efforts and resources into the South and West coasts, whilst ignoring the minority 'rebel held' Tamil East and North. Sadly, these are the areas that have suffered the most. Funds were initially used to provide clothes, and food. Naleen my local business partner and friend is very much a central member of this community: very well connected, pragmatic, civic minded, solid and strong and has helped enormously in assisting in the recovery. I KNOW we achieved amazing results with very little money and still today find good causes to support.

If you would like to make a donation the details are as follows:

Acc name: S Jones - Sri Lanka Relief Fund
Sort 60 12 03
Acc No 81589638
Natwest Offshore Ltd
PO BOX 11
16 Library Place
St. Helier
Jersey
JE4 8NH

This is a private attempt to help and not a registered charity.. This is a focused attempt to raise money to help a specific area. The results will be evident, visible and measurable. In addition, documented. 100% of all donations will go directly to this affected area and will not be filtered through major large scale aid agencies operating broadly on a multinational scale. Smaller volunteer independent people seem to be far more effective on a personal level within the community.

If you are thinking of making a contribution, however big or small, Please consider this option. With local knowledge on the ground, I know we can make and have made a difference to this particular area.

Other than that, I wish you all the best. I am sure We are all busy but I would appreciate if you would give it some thought. I would be happy to exchange a few emails or phone calls with anyone. Best Regards to all,

Money going to this account is really to help people and there is not even one penny going into any other place, huge administrations or corruption !!!!!!!