IPSWICH and Suffolk Chinese Association have shown their support for China's Earthquake Appeal by donating £4,000 to the fund.The group meet once a week at the Caribbean Association, Woodbridge Road, Ipswich and decided to visit local businesses and ask for their help.

IPSWICH and Suffolk Chinese Association have shown their support for China's Earthquake Appeal by donating £4,000 to the fund.

The group meet once a week at the Caribbean Association, Woodbridge Road, Ipswich and decided to visit local businesses and ask for their help.

Freddie Chung is chairman of the association and owns the Peach Bower restaurant in Wickham Market.

Mr Chung said: “We asked about 70 shops and restaurants in Ipswich if they would like to donate something and we went out with buckets and collected money from shoppers. I also put a box in my restaurant which people kindly put £500 into.”

All the collected money will go directly to the Chinese Embassy and ensure that thousands of people get food, clean water and shelter to help them survive the immediate aftermath of the quake.

More than 60,000 people have been killed and five million made homeless by the earthquake that struck south west China on May 12.

Mr Chung was delighted by the amount raised and looked forward to the money reaching its destination. He said:

“Where the money goes is up to them. We are not political people and it's too far for us all to go over there and see how it's being spent but we can at least do something for them by raising money.”

The cheque was presented to the Chinese Embassy at the Golden Dragon restaurant in London's West End.