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Leeds aid for Pakistan flood victims
A new appeal to send life-saving essentials direct to flood victims in Pakistan has been launched in Leeds.
The Leeds Lifebox appeal is asking West Yorkshire families to add a list of high-energy, low-cost basic foods and drinks to their weekly shopping list and pack them into a cardboard box.
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Every box donated will be be flown to Pakistan free of charge within 36 hours to be handed out to people in dire need.
Businesses and food retailers are also being asked to support the Leeds campaign by providing empty boxes and a standard list of high-energy foods which could help a family survive for up to three days.
The recent flooding in Pakistan has become one of the world's worst natural disasters.
Around 20 million people are thought to have been made homeless or displaced, and at least a fifth of the country remains under water.
The Leeds Lifebox shopping list includes biscuits, bottles of mineral water, glucose or rehydration salts for diarrhoea and chocolate.
The basic items could help a family of four survive for up to three days, but can cost as little as 8.
People can either put together their own full Lifebox, or buy a few extra items with their weekly shopping and donate to their nearest collection point.
These will then be put together into Lifeboxes by volunteers and delivered to the PIA (Pakistan International Airlines) cargo centre at Manchester airport for shipping.
The Leeds Lifebox appeal is being led by a group of professionals including human rights worker and part-time DJ Khalida Ashrafi, who said: "Every box donated to the Leeds Lifebox appeal means we give a family a chance of survival with much-needed immediate aid.
"News reports currently show that the supply of goods into Pakistan is limited.
"What little is there is getting very expensive because of inflation."
Robin Wilkhu, from Armley-based discount food store Bargain Baskets, is acting as a contact point for Leeds Lifebox and donating many items for it.
He said: "We are also offering a free collection point for anybody who wants to donate goods rather than putting a box together. We will list the recommended items in in the shop and we will put the boxes together for them.
"And if people want to pay for a whole box we will guarantee to put it together for them here and ensure it is delivered to the PIA cargo centre in Manchester."
Lifebox donors are asked to stick to a specified size of box which is the most convenient both for shipping to the worst-hit areas and for handing out and passing round to families once there.
The box appeal was recently launched in Pakistan as an alternative to cash donations, as the flooding has led to a huge rise in inflation and soaring food costs.
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Weather for Leeds
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South
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