More than third of the

target figure is reached

by STEVE GRAVENOR

WHAT a generous bunch you are! Our campaign to give a young African girl the gift of sound is more than a third of the way to its £6,000 target.

Donations from generous readers topped the £2,000 mark on

Saturday, just ten days after we launched a bid to bring Aminata Sawaneh, aged six, to Essex for a vital operation.

The little Gambian girl has a deformed ear lobe and needs plastic surgery, not available in her country, to enable her to hear properly again.

Although surgeons at St Andrews Hospital, Billericay, have offered, to perform the surgery for free, £6,000 is needed to pay for flightsand Aminata's stay in hospital. Her plight was first highlighted by the Kingfisher Trust, which works to improve conditions in the impoverished Gambia.

Simon Wezel whofounded the Essex-based Trust, said he was overwhelmed by the response from EADT readers.

"I think it is absolutely fantastic," he said. "I have been on the phone to Aminata's father to tell him how well the appeal is going. He has told Aminata and he says she is thrilled."

Mr Wezel urged more readers to dip into their pockets so that the operation can be carried out as soon as possible.

"The brilliant thing about donating to this appeal," he said, "is that readers will actually be able to see the results very quickly and think to themselves, 'We played a part in that'."

Scott Dolling, reader marketing manager at the EADT, said the number of cheques and donations coming into the Ipswich appeal headquarters was growing every day.

"People are being very, very generous," he said. "But they are not just sending money, they are also sending letters of support. It is Cheques and postal orders should be made payable to Eastern County Newspapers. Cash donations can be made at our Lower Brook
quite touching."

You can help the Gift of Sound appeal reach its £6,000 target by sending donations to Scott Dolling, The Gift of Sound Appeal, EADT, PO Box 137, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 1EH.

Cheques and postal orders should be made payable to Eastern County Newspapers. Cash donations can bCheques and postal orders se made at our Lower BrookCheques and postal orders s