Dear Members,

Aree Bru, and rugby's own angle on Tsunami Relief - Koh Phi Phi Island, near Phuket, Thailand.

Many of you will have contributed to the Tsunami relief effort. Others may still intend to do so. Perhaps you might consider contributing to a specific fund and special area where the ravages were among the worst, and which also has a strong rugby resonance.

As guests at the recent RUWC annual dinner heard, when the Tsunami hit Koh Phi Phi Island, in Thailand, among those swept away were Aree Bru, wife of our dear colleague, Henri – Henri is one of the world's most respected rugby journalists and divided his time between L'Equipe in Paris and Koh Phi Phi, where Aree, his wife of 15 years, ran a restaurant and bar.

Koh Phi Phi was devastated. Apparently, the Tsunami effectively hit from both directions. Henri has spent extensive time there of late and is determined to help re-build the community. The Aree Foundation ("Muniti Aree") has been established with contributions from French-based sources and others, and is dedicated to raising money to care for dependants of the lost on the island, to re-establish education with the remnants of the children and installations remaining, and eventually to help the re-establishment of the social and commercial structures. A local structure and rudimentary office has been established already.

There are, of course, so many pieces to pick up. Proceeds from Muniti Aree are helping to trace local children, giving educational priority to the orphans. The fund has also traced a family where a brother and sister and their partners disappared, leaving five orphans being cared for by grandparents. That family is also a priority.

A fund has been established involving Mick Cleary and Stephen Jones as trustees, in conjunction with John Hall of Gullivers Sports Travel. John has been a close friend of Henri for many years. The Koh Phi Phi Rugby Fund began with a £1,000 donation from Gullivers and was augmented by over £3,500 collected at the RUWC dinner.

We will keep you up to date regarding future distribution of what we raise. Henri has promised that every penny will be well-used.

Various activities are being arranged to swell the fund ... for now, if anyone would like to contribute or help in any way, the details are as follows :

Cheques made out to Koh Phi Phi Rugby Fund can be sent to:

Koh Phi Phi Rugby Fund
account 60076244
sort code 20 33 83
Barclays Bank PLC
Corporate Banking Centre
PO Box 119
Park House
Newbrick Road
Stoke Gifford
Bristol BS34 8TN

Thank you very much.

Mick Cleary & Steve Jones