Thank you. You gave £55,124.73 for the Philippines

I am still overwhelmed by the incredible kindness of so many strangers. Those who donated their books, school visits, paintings, character names and many more. And those who bid so enthusiastically,  with such great humour, egging each other on, building the excitement. And those who got in touch later to say they would still donate the money even though they lost their bids. And Keris and Keren who brought them all together.

HEY BBC!!! On behalf of the victims of Typhoon Haiyan / Yolanda

If you can't see the video, watch it on YouTube

Apologies to everyone for being vague and glassy-eyed for the last couple of days, I've been helping out posting stuff at the Authors for the Philippines appeal

Monster Typhoon in the Philippines - it's not just our disaster

WHEREVER YOU ARE, YOU CAN HELP THE STORM VICTIMS 

International

Donate directly to the Philippine Red Cross Emergency responders are already providing hot meals and relief items
Save the Children "We deployed a rapid response team to Tacloban and will be distributing emergency kits"
World Food Programme Working with government to restore telecoms and sending fortified biscuits

Local

Good links and advice about giving from Rappler 

You've probably heard by now that over the weekend, the Philippines was devastated by a typhoon of such monstrous proportions that concrete buildings collapsed and tsunami-like storm surges drowned shoreside towns and villages.

To the right is information on how you can help. Thank you in advance for your compassion

MAGIC AND WHALES

Two summers ago, my son Jack, then seventeen, spent more than a month working with other young people at