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Building Hope: Hope as new centre opens
PROJECT SUCCESS: Anne Kearsley, from Leeds childrens services, with Leeds Lord Mayor Coun Rev Alan Taylor.
A children’s centre built thanks to the generosity of Leeds people for victims of one of the world’s biggest natural disasters officially opens next week.
Over 230,000 people were killed in the Indian Ocean tsunami that struck on Boxing Day 2004.
One of the countries hit by the giant wave was Sri Lanka and in response to the devastation, Leeds City Council launched the Building Hope charity appeal with the aim of providing longer term help to children and families on the island affected by the disaster.
The council made a £100,000 contribution and the people of Leeds rallied round to raise a further £146,000, with some council staff making regular donations through their monthly pay roll.
After consultation with the authorities in Colombo, the Sri Lankan capital, it was agreed the money be used to build a children’s centre that would be a lasting legacy of Leeds’s concern long after the emergency services had refocused their attentions on other areas in need of disaster support.
The project had to overcome many obstacles – including a civil war – but the Building Hope Children’s Centre in Colombo’s Kirulapone district it now complete and the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Coun Rev Alan Taylor, will fly out next week to formally hand over the centre to Colombo Council.
The building includes a nursery, library, playroom, computer suite, kitchen and counselling and training areas. It will provide a range of support services for families.
The Honourable AJM Muzammil, Mayor of Colombo, said: “I am honoured to thank Coun Taylor, the staff of the Leeds City Council and the wonderful citizens of Leeds for their immense contribution towards the construction of a child resource centre in Colombo under the Building Hope Project.
“We will be using this building to serve the underprivileged children of our city of Colombo.
“I am truly grateful and hope we can help each other to enhance our cities and further strengthen our sister city ties between Colombo and Leeds.”
Coun Taylor said: “The people of Leeds should be very proud of their humanity and what they have achieved. “
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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