FORMER James Bond star Roger Moore has personally thanked Evening Press readers for raising more than £5,000 to help millions of starving children in southern Africa.
The actor - immortalised as 007 in films such as Octopussy and Live And Let Die - journeyed to Zambia as a Unicef ambassador to see the devastation for himself.
An estimated six million youngsters are at risk from the current food crisis in the region, which is already bearing the brunt of an HIV/AIDS epidemic.
The Evening Press teamed up with the international aid agency to launch a campaign of hope for those affected by the famine.
Our special appeal gave people the chance to make donations or to organise fundraising events. It raised £5,277.
In a message of gratitude, the celebrity said: "I'd like to personally thank the Evening Press and all its readers for their kind donations and support for Unicef's Southern Africa Children's Appeal.
"Every penny has helped in this - one of the most complex, long-term and fast-growing crises that the world has seen. I have just returned from a trip with Unicef to one of the six affected countries in the appeal, Zambia, where the situation was, frankly, horrendous.
"It is HIV/AIDS that is clearly making this emergency different from droughts and crises that have gone before and it is the children, some as young as eight or nine, who are bearing the brunt of it.
"Their sick and dying parents are unable to work or provide food for them and they are left to fend for themselves. And it is those children most in need that are benefiting from your donations right now - through Unicef's projects in Zambia and all over the region.
"Thanks to you and your donations, it can continue its urgent work with children all over Southern Africa. But sadly, I've just seen for myself that the need is still great - that there are so many more children still living on the brink of death. I saw very few smiling or laughing last week and their eyes looked expectant.
"So please, I would urge you, if you can, to continue supporting Unicef in this crisis, so that some sort of childhood can be returned to the children I met and millions more."
To make a donation for the children of southern Africa, telephone Unicef's 24-donation line on 0345 312312 or visit the website www.unicef.org.uk
Updated: 10:59 Wednesday, November 20, 2002
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