The Evening Press has joined forces with City of York Council to launch an appeal for survivors of the Asian tsunami disaster. Katie Emslie reports on how people across the region are getting involved in fundraising.

FROM Live-Aid style concerts to coffee mornings, from Riccall to Pickering, people are pulling together to raise money for victims of the Asian tsunami.

The York Aid appeal, organised by City of York Council with support from the Evening Press, is open to donations from all over the region.

The fundraising drive is being led by musicians, with several concerts now being planned.

Twelve local bands have pledged their full support for a Live-Aid style event at The Riccall Regen Centre, near Selby, on Friday evening.

The event has been organised by husband and wife acoustic duo Gary and Lisa Rowntree, who have been working frantically to print and distribute 4,000 concert leaflets around Riccall, Barlby, Escrick and Kelfield.

"This is the most adventurous music event we've held around here. Let's all show what we're made of by giving these desperate victims our best support", said Gary.

Tickets to the event, which runs from 5pm to midnight, cost £5.

In Ryedale, vocalist Catherine Bell, 15, of Malton Road, Pickering, has used her connections to organise a charity concert where three local bands, chu ma shu and adognamedhero, both of Pickering, and Hedcage, of Malton, will perform for free at Pickering Recreation Club on Saturday, at 7.30pm.

"The images which we have all seen have inspired us to do all within our power to help provide the stuff to support survival and comfort. It could be us," said Catherine, who attends Lady Lumley's School, Pickering, and is the lead singer in old-style rock group The 27 Club.

Saturday's gig is aimed at families, and organisers hope the whole community will come together to support it. All funds will go to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Tsunami Earthquake Appeal. Tickets are £3, or £10 for families. To book, phone 01751 476541.

A concert is also being staged at St James Church, Boroughbridge, on Saturday, at 7.30pm.

Organisers from the church and town council said they were moved to hold the concert by the tales of tragedy and misery in the aftermath of the Asian earthquake.

John Francis Moss, who works part-time at the church, said: "Freda Cooper, the Town Mayor, and I decided this was really worth doing, and we gave ourselves just a week to decide the venue, find performers, publicise the event and - hopefully - encourage a large audience to come.

"No one can fail to be touched by the humanitarian disaster we have seen unfold day-by-day on our television screens, and it's not just something that has happened 'over there'".

Mr Moss said the response from musicians and performers had been overwhelming, and everything now looked set for a great night.

At Melbourne, near Pocklington, residents raised a staggering £2,645 at a coffee morning held in the village hall and a collection held at the village's New Year's Eve disco.

Melbourne is the home village of Robert Rowbottom, 21, who, along with his girlfriend Sarah Bent, 19, from Copmanthorpe, is still missing after tidal waves devastated the Thai holiday resort in which they had been staying.

The couple last spoke to their families on Christmas Day.

Although the coffee morning was organised before Robert's involvement in the disaster was known to villagers, local resident Ruth Steels said people in Melbourne were rallying round his family.

"The people of Melbourne are thinking of the Rowbottom family at this difficult time," she said.

Meanwhile, individuals have been raising large sums through a range of different events.

In North Duffield, resident Jill Newsome raised £1,020 by holding an informal drinks party, while in Naburn, York, a New Year's Day house-to-house collection by local residents Jean Dale and Muriel Pierson raised £1,000.

Tonight, members of Heworth Methodist Church will hold a private sale of unwanted Christmas presents. Heworth resident Joy Crawshaw said: "We all realise how lucky we are not to be in such a situation, and we just feel so strongly for their plight."

Coun Brian Maud, chairman of Ryedale District Council, said: "My charities for this year are Malton Hospital League of Friends and St Catherine's Hospice, but I think in the face of what's happened I'm going to put them on hold."

He said the council was in the early stages of organising a musical extravaganza at St Mary's Priory Church, Old Malton, provisionally on February 4.

Meanwhile, four charity organisations in Malton and Norton are joining forces to mount a big street collection this weekend to raise funds for the victims of the tragedy.

Members of the Rotary Club, Round Table, Lions and Soroptimists will be collecting in the town on Friday, between 9.30am and 1pm, and again on Saturday between 8.30am and 1pm.

Are you holding an event to raise money for those affected by the tsunami disaster? If so, phone Alex Lloyd on 01904 653051, or email alex.lloyd@ycp.co.uk

Updated: 10:04 Wednesday, January 05, 2005