Good can emerge even from something as wicked as the Kosovan exodus. It has taken the world too long to wake up to the despair caused by President Slobodan Milosevic's evil ethnic cleansing programme. But now that we have, there are examples everywhere of people wanting to help.

A televised appeal by broadcaster Jill Dando and actor Juliet Stevenson has raised an incredible £5 million in 24 hours. After many days of impotently watching the tragedy unfold, people have leapt at the chance to make a positive contribution.

Certain individuals, like Clive Phoenix, are determined to do more. He is due to lead an expedition to take supplies from Haxby to the Kosovo-Albania border this weekend.

Mr Phoenix has received tremendous support, not least Yorkshire Water's donation of £200,000-worth of water purification equipment.

Meanwhile, John Simmons, City of York Council's emergency planning officer, is going to Macedonia to help with the enormous task of resettling refugees. We are sure that many other companies will want to follow Yorkshire Water's and York council's example and offer equipment or expertise.

Today we are launching our own appeal in association with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). We make no apologies for creating another channel for aid. Hundreds of thousands of people have been thrown out of their homes. Countless families have been devastated. To alleviate suffering on this scale we need to muster all the help we can.

Our appeal will raise money for the children of Kosovo. According to UNICEF, children and women account for eight out of ten civilians caught up in the current crisis. In the four countries of the Balkans, as many as a quarter of a million children are affected.

They desperately require medicine, shelter and safe drinking water. Any gift, however small, will ease their suffering.

The Kosovo crisis may seem distant. But it is happening in the heart of Europe. Those children who have lost their fathers and been thrown out of their homes are our neighbours.

Moreover, the aid effort is being organised on our doorstep: UNICEF's regional office is in Strensall. We have no excuse for not helping. It is now abundantly clear that there is no quick fix to the problem of Yugoslavia. The war will go on for weeks, maybe months. It will take far longer for the refugees to rebuild their lives.

But before we consider the long term future of the region we must deal with the immediate crisis. Our help is needed to save lives now. Every donation will make a difference.

Cheques and postal orders should be made payable to UNICEF and sent to UNICEF/Evening Press Kosovo Appeal, 54 West End, Strensall, York YO32 5UH.

see NEWS 'For God's sake please help us'

see NEWS 'Give and let live'

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.