Tuesday 27 April 2010
ShelterBox hosts conference for international affiliates
The ShelterBox International Affiliates’ Meeting was attended by delegates from 15 countries. Photograph: Tom LayShelterBox affiliates from around the world braved a volcanic ash cloud to attend a conference on how best to tackle disasters.
The four-day ShelterBox International Affiliates’ Meeting held at Nansloe Manor in Helston, Cornwall, saw 35 delegates take part in a series of talks and seminars on the disaster relief charity’s work and future plans.
Representatives from Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Norway managed to arrive before British airspace was closed due to a volcanic eruption in Iceland grounding all UK air traffic.
But once flights started up again they were joined by ShelterBox delegates from New Zealand, Norway, USA, Canada, France, Germany, Denmark and Switzerland.
There were also representatives from Brazil, Sweden, Portugal and Italy who were finding out more information about ShelterBox with a view to setting up their own affiliated centre.
On the agenda were discussions about field deployments including the recent Haiti disaster, standards of aid delivery, fundraising, branding and communications.
Australian representative and ShelterBox Response Team member, Peter Pearce, said: 'The professionalism demonstrated throughout the weekend is a great testament to this incredible organisation. All these people, from all around the globe, are so committed to moving forward with a clear vision and purpose.'
US affiliate Ken Kaplan was on the first plane over after the ash cloud cleared. ‘We were worried, but there was a mission we had to accomplish,’ said Ken.
Commenting on the unprecedented levels of donations and publicity for ShelterBox around the world in recent months, Ken said: ‘It was really Haiti that stepped us forward. We saw the huge influx of information going in and coming out and people just responded from the heart about ShelterBox.
‘We’ve gone to schools, churches. We’ve gone to Rotary clubs. We’ve gone to other agencies. When we do our ShelterBox presentation they see the need, they see the purpose, and they respond. It’s almost as we call it in the States, a no-brainer. Once they hear our story they realise how important ShelterBox is.’
'Right concept'
Affiliate Henrik Svane helps raise awareness of ShelterBox in his home country of Denmark.
‘I was in the shopping mall presenting ShelterBox and a guy came and he walked around,’ he said. ‘He asked a lot of questions and then he disappeared. Half an hour later he returned and placed a large donation.
‘I asked why he was making such a large donation and he replied: "I’m from Venezuela. A couple of years ago my house was torn down by a flood and this concept here is just the right thing. I wish I’d had a ShelterBox at that time.’’'
Henrik said presentations in countries all over the world had helped start a grass roots movement in support of ShelterBox.
‘We set up the tent and put on display everything in the box,' he said. 'It has an immediate effect, especially with the kids.'
One of the topics discussed at the conference was the use of traditional means of publicity versus social media to push into new markets and make ShelterBox’s message truly international.
‘The media coverage is important for us in the United States because we are so large,’ said Ken. ‘Now that we’re trying to get an international feel, Twitter and Facebook and the like are what we’re going to go through.’
