MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Foot and Mount Charity thanks Falklands for donation

Foot and Mount Charity thanks Falklands for donation

Ian Bell, coordinator of the Addington Fund, an emergency charity set up to help British farmers suffering economic hardship because of the foot and mouth crisis, has described a Falklands donation of £5,000 as "a terrific gesture." According to an agreement, the British government will match the donation.

Mr Bell told the BBC's Calling the Falklands, "we are at the stage where the headline news has disappeared and and funds are getting low, so to get this size of donation is a wonderful boost to everyone on the team."

Farmers who lose their cattle and sheep to the cull are receiving compensation from the government, but with markets closed and a ban on animals movements in many areas, there is much wider hardship. Mr Bell said his charity had mainly been helping those farmers who had healthy stock but could make no money from them. Their main need is for funds to pay for foodstuffs for animals that should have been sold at market months ago. So far the Addington Fund has helped 11,239 farmers, distributing (UK pounds) £6.25 million).

Mr Bell said the farmers still face huge problems. "There is a long, long way to go yet."