In the wake of the devastating Sichuan earthquake, overseas Chinese in Britain have come together in launching for the victims the largest ever fundraising appeal in the community.

On Sunday afternoon, a makeshift stage was set up in the middle of China Town which has become a tourist destination in the capital, with volunteers from Spectrum Radio and Christine Lee & Co Solicitors Limited presiding over the donation appeal.

"What the quake victims need is not just physical rescuing, it will be food, clothes, accommodation, and ultimately the reconstruction of all sorts. We have to do our bit," said Christine Lee, initiator of the British Chinese Get Active project aiming for Chinese to participate more in the political life in Britain.

On Monday when the earthquake was first reported, she phoned a counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Britain, offering to donate 2,000 pounds (US$4,000). Three days later, Lee pledged another 3,000 pounds (US$6,000) when overseas Chinese groups in Britain launched a joined fundraising committee to coordinate quake donations.

"Every penny counts. You could either help by offering services or through donations," said Gary Li, president of the Confederation of Chinese Associations UK.

Donations streamed in on Sunday. Most people left their donation with a heavy heart. Some stayed in front of the stage watching the show with tears in eyes.

The music and singing also drew British people and tourists, some of whom left their money after knowing about the fundraising.

Nine-year-old Zhang Ruilan from Chongqing, adjacent to Sichuan Province, came with her mom, sister and granny. She climbed onto the stage, calling out in Sichuan dialect: "Help the children in Sichuan."

A Mr. Wong in his 60s took out a stack of pound notes and inserted them into the donation box. He has just come back from Shenzhen in south China where he donated money in building a primary school in his hometown.

He would not like to talk more about the donation, saying it is only "something minor."

Zhong Shuhong, chairman of a Chinese community center in Brixton, southwest London, came with 1,650 pounds (US$3,300) raised by his fellow men working at a local Chinese supermarket called "Yongda."

"Watching from TV how our compatriots in Sichuan suffered and get exhausted in their rescue efforts, the staff in our supermarket don't even hesitate in donating money. We are all Chinese. We hope with the money raised we could somehow help our compatriots fare through the difficult times."

Lin Yuanjin is from the "Plum Blossom" bakery store on the main street of China Town. He took the 170 pounds (US$340) raised by all the six staff at the store to the donation box. "We are agonized by the earthquake in China. Just hope people there could start rebuilding their homes sooner."

Three lads from south China's Fujian Province donated several hundred of their hard-earned money through construction work. They would not mention their names, saying simply "It's our obligations."

A 77-year-old lady who accompanied her granddaughter Zoe to Chinatown from outside London for her Sunday Chinese School sessions also made her donation. "It's charity," she said.

Madame Lai, a Vietnamese Chinese, has traveled 40 minutes plus by train to make her visit to China Town with her husband and other Chinese friends. "We don't have many Chinese in Croydon (to the south of London). We come just to do out part. It's so distressing to see children stuck in the concrete after the quake."

A couple from Hong Kong said in the little Mandarin they master: "We haven't experienced any earthquake before. It's so sad to see what happened in Sichuan."

SeeWoo and Golden Gate Hong supermarkets specializing oriental food in Chinatown have donated one ton of rice for fundraising. But many housewives registered at the stand with their donation without taking any sack of rice.

A 90-year-old lady sitting in her wheelchair was assisted to the donation box. She inserted her money in with shivering hands when her son, C.T. Tang, president of London China Town Chinese Association, came to her help.

Tang had be present at the fundraising event when it started at noon. He was joined by heads of various Chinese community groups as well as local Chinese councilors who were helping out with the fundraising.

Steve Lau, chair of the Chinese in Britain Forum which advocates active citizenship and social cohesion among the Chinese community, came to China Town with brochures promoting forthcoming show, The Thousand Hand Goddess of Mercy, performed by the China Disabled People's Performing Arts Troupe.

"We would like to donate all the money from the ticket sale of the two shows in London to the people suffering from the Sichuan earthquake," he said, adding that he wishes to raise some 80,000 pounds (US$160,000) from the shows which were previously intended for their own charity.

The four-hour fundraising had raised a total of 70,000 pounds (US$140,000), according to May Wong, a staff with Christine Lee & Co Solicitors Limited.

The total sum so far raised by the Chinese community, she added, is 150,000 pounds (US$300,000).

But the appeal will still continue in Chinese shops and banks. The final total will be sent on June 2 to the Chinese Embassy in Britain to be forwarded to the quake-stricken areas.

On Sunday evening, the Chinese Students and Scholars Association held a candlelight vigil to pray for those killed in the earthquake and showing their solidarity for the people fighting for life on the ground.

(Xinhua News Agency May 19, 2008)