EFFORTS are underway across Sedgemoor to help victims of the Japan earthquake and tsunami disaster, which has left tens of thousands of people dead, missing or homeless.

Bridgwater Rotary Club members held collections all day on Saturday and Sunday at Asda in East Quay to raise money for Shelterboxes and Water Survival Boxes.

Steve Russell, past president, said: “It is important to do this because water is a major problem at the moment, and the tents in the Shelterboxes sleep ten people.

“There are no houses because they have all been destroyed so these kits will be home to many families for quite a long time.”

Bridgwater Lions have agreed to donate $1,000 raised at previous local events such as the Christmas collections and Bridgwater Carnival. Members say they also hope to raise more in coming weeks.

Burnham Lions will be collecting at supermarkets in the town and members of Burnham Rotary Club are reopening their successful bookshop in the former Threshers wine shop in College Street for a week.

Burnham and Highbridge Mayor Michael Clarke said: “Anything we as a community can do to help would be absolutely wonderful.”