April 22, 2014 10.10 am This story is over 119 months old

Lincoln club raises £51k for wells in Bangladesh

New water wells: A Lincoln rotary club has raised over £51k to build new fresh water wells in Bangladeshi villages.

The Lindum Lincoln Rotary Club has worked with Rotary Club of Dhaka New City to raise over £51,000 for new fresh water wells in over 55 Bangladeshi villages.

The money raised will help around 7,500 people gain access to safe drinking water, and it is hoped that work to drill the wells will begin in 2015.

The majority of the club’s fundraising came from running a drinks stall at the Lincoln Christmas Market.

The Lindum Lincoln Rotary Club sold drinks at the Lincoln Christmas Market in order to raise money for charity.

The Lindum Lincoln Rotary Club sold drinks at the Lincoln Christmas Market in order to raise money for charity.

In addition, the club are thanking Lincoln furniture retailer Shanti Shah, who donated £2,051 to the cause.

New deep wells will replace the shallow facilities that currently provide fresh water to the villages.

The project is one of many fundraising ventures organised by the club, which fused with the Dhaka New City Rotary Club in 2008 after International Committee Chairman Mike Robinson visited the region in 2008.

One of the new deep water wells that are to be installed using the money raised.

One of the new deep water wells that are to be installed using the money raised.

Mr Robinson said: “The current shallow wells have become contaminated with arsenic. Drinking the water year after year results in serious skin conditions, tumours, breathing difficulties and in some cases death.

“In a visit to Bangladesh I saw at first hand, how desperately poor the people are and the scale of the problem of bad drinking water.

“As a result I was very keen to use the power of Rotary to help those affected. We have the support of Rotary charities and other Rotary Clubs in Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire.

“We have worked with the Dhaka club on two previous projects and know that they will ensure the successful completion of the scheme.”