ROTARY GLOBAL HISTORY FELLOWSHIP HEROES
www.rghfheroes.org
TOM HENDERSON, O.B.E. |
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ShelterBox is a charity now known throughout the world.
However its roots are very much in Cornwall, England.
In 1999 RGHF member Tom Henderson O.B.E., a Rotarian and former Royal Navy search
and rescue diver started thinking about ShelterBox.
He saw the aid response to most disasters was in the form of
food and medicine.
But Tom also noted there was very little assistance given in terms of proper shelter, so
Tom Henderson's idea of ShelterBox was born.
As a Rotarian Tom already had lots of contacts so he started sourcing equipment and
twisting arms to get his dream off the ground. His persistence paid off.
At the start of the new century the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard, Cornwall, England
adopted Tom's idea as its millennium project.
Just nine months later ShelterBox's first consignment of 143 boxes was sent to earthquake
victims in the Indian state of Gujarat in January 2001.
By the end of 2004 nearly 2,600 boxes had been dispatched, following 16 major disasters.
Back in June 2009 he was awarded the Trelawny Plate in recognition of his contribution to
Cornwall. The special award is given every two years.
Sir John Trelawny said at the time: "The news the panel had
unanimously selected Tom Henderson was no surprise and I was
delighted. Shelter Box was always an inspired idea, bringing
timely and practical help to people in extreme need without
political or financial strings attached."
In nearly 10 years it has become the largest Rotary Club project in the
world, with affiliates in eight countries.
Boxes have been sent to 65 countries helping more than a million people.
ShelterBox has worked on every continent providing emergency aid to the victims
of earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, typhoons, hurricanes, volcanoes and conflicts.
In August 2007 HRH The Duchess of Cornwall became the charity’s
President and Royal Patron, following her visit to the Helston HQ that summer.
Shelter Box was featured in the October 2007 issue of "The
Rotarian"
In 2008, Tom was nominated for the "CNN Heroes".
In late 2009, Tom was awarded the OBE for "services to humanitarian aid."
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acknowledgements to BBC Cornwall and
shelterbox.org
researched and posted by
RGHF webmaster
Greg Barlow, Malaysia. August 2011 |
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