A SPECIAL fundraiser for victims of the famine in East Africa will take place in Bournemouth on Tuesday.

The Rotary Club of Bournemouth will be holding a collection in Bournemouth town centre from 10.30am on Tuesday in support of UNICEF.

The proceeds will be split equally between the UNICEF appeal and Worldwaterworks, which is a Rotary-backed organisation, which supplies water-survival boxes to poverty and disaster-affected areas.

Last week we urged readers to support the fundraising efforts for the millions of people in East Africa, affected by the worst drought in 60 years.

And as a result of that article, the Rotary Club of Bournemouth organised this street collection.

The crisis – a combination of the drought and rising food prices – has engulfed parts of the region including Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya, affecting nine million people.

The situation has devastated cattle and crops with the coming harvest expected to be very poor in many areas.

Mary Brackley, who chairs the club’s international committee and is organising the street collection said: “The children of Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia are in urgent need of help, and we are overwhelmed by the suffering.

“This is a devastating and rapidly deteriorating humanitarian crisis that will only worsen if we don't act now.

“The Rotary Club of Bournemouth will be out collecting in Bournemouth town centre on Tuesday and we hope that people will be generous in their support.”