how you can help

The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) is taking donations through a special phone line, 0370 60 60 900, and through its website at www.dec.org.uk

It is due to launch a television appeal today which will be broadcast by the BBC, ITV, Sky, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Al-Jazeera .

A DEC spokesman said: “The aid effort isn’t on the scale that’s required and we need people’s help to scale it up urgently.”

The money will support DEC’s 13 member agencies – Action Aid, British Red Cross, Cafod, Care International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, Help the Aged, Islamic Relief, Merlin, Oxfam, Save the Children, Tearfund and World Vision.

Each of the charities is also accepting donations, through outlets and direct on telephone lines, listed below.

Contributions can be made to:

n The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) on 0370 60 60 900, and through its website www.dec.org.uk

n ActionAid: www.action aid.org.uk or 01460 238000

n Christian Aid: www.christian aid.org.uk/haiti-appeal or 08080 004 004

n Merlin: www.merlin.org. uk or 0207 014 1714

n Oxfam: www.oxfam.org.uk or 0300 200 1999

n British Red Cross: www.redcross.org.uk/haitiearthquake or 0845 053 5353

n Save the Children: www.savethechildren.org.uk/ haiti or 020 7012 6400.

n Human Relief Foundation (HRF): HRF, FREEPOST BD3125, PO Box 194, Bradford, BD7 1BR, online at www.hrf.org.uk . You can also donate to the Human Relief Foundation at: HSBC Bank A/C: 94 17 62 94 - Sort Code: 40-13-15