At 12.51pm on Tuesday 22 February a devastating earthquake tore through the city of Christchurch on New Zealand's south island. For 40 terrifying seconds tremors smashed through the city sending buildings tumbling to the ground. So far at least 145 people are known to have perished though the final death toll is expected to rise as emergency services carry out the grim task of locating and identifying those who have died. 

New Zealand may be a developed country but it will still take years to return Christchurch to its original state. Just like Britain the country has major debt problems and is struggling to balance the books. Christchurch was hit by a much less damaging earthquake in September and the damage bill from that quake alone was estimated to be NZ$4bn. 

The city is hugely reliant on the tourist industry and reams of small and medium businesses will struggle to reopen. Meanwhile thousands of people's homes will need to be rebuilt or strengthened. 

Please dig deep and give whatever you can to help the people of Christchurch rebuild their beautiful city.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure - they’ll never sell on your details or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.