Premiership clubs give £1m to appeal

England’s Premiership football clubs today donated £1m (€1.4m) to the relief effort for the victims of South Asia’s devastating tsunami.

The 20 clubs each pledged £50,000 (€70,000) to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) which is co-ordinating the relief effort.

It follows a donation of £15,000 (€21,150) to the relief fund earlier today by the England cricket team.

The Premier League also announced that a minute’s silence would be held by all the Premiership clubs who had not already done so this weekend, as a mark of respect to the victims of the disaster.

Chief executive Richard Scudamore said: “I think everyone has been taken aback by the sheer enormity of events following the Indian Ocean earthquake.

“The Premier League and our clubs have strong connections throughout the region and there was a real feeling amongst the clubs that we should do something as a collective to try and alleviate some of the pain and suffering that is so evident across those areas affected by the tsunami.

“Our thoughts go out to those who are suffering as a result of this catastrophe and hopefully this donation will help make a real difference as the disaster relief operation gets under way.”

Brendan Gormley, the DEC’s chief executive, welcomed the donation.

“This is a fantastic donation,” he said. “It’s wonderful that the premiership clubs are joining in the public outpouring of sympathy for men, women and children in desperate need.

“Every penny will be well spent helping to rebuild shattered lives.”