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Green Wellie brigade to the rescue

Amazing generosity from readers of the Western Morning News means its Green Wellie appeal to help farmers and small rural businesses in the foot and mouth crisis has reached £880,000.

Editor Barrie Williams said: “I believe this is the biggest sum of money ever generated by a regional newspaper campaign.

“It is also an achievement to go down in the proud history of our wonderful Westcountry.”

He paid tribute to the readers in a 1,200-word front-page editorial which stretched onto the inside pages to form a three-page update on the appeal, the crisis and how people were dealing with it.

Mr Williams said he had “privately” set a target of £100,000 when the appeal was launched on March 22, based on responses to recent appeals to fund lifeboats, ease hardship following the Indian earthquake and help the poor in Kenya.

He said: “We thought the generosity shown on these occasions was exceptional – and so did the charities we helped.

“Living, as I do, in an agricultural community, I knew how powerfully high emotions were running in this foot and mouth crisis.

“I knew too – because they had implored me to do it – that Western Morning News readers wanted a local fundraising effort to help local people.

“So I reckoned £100,000 was achievable but when we saw today’s figure I was just knocked out by it.

“Anybody who knows me will tell you that it is an understatement to say that I am never normally lost for words!”

Donations in the bank so far total more than £440,000 and the Government has pledged to match the final total.

The money has come from efforts by individuals, families, pubs, clubs and businesses. TV personality Noel Edmonds made a personal donation of £12,500 and offered to shave off his trademark beard for a further £6,000.

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