SCHOOLS across Banbury are being urged to get involved in a town-wide fund initiative to raise cash for flood victims in Pakistan.

Letters will sent to all primary and secondary schools asking them to get children to collect loose change in special money boxes.

Youngsters will be encouraged to take a box home to fill with spare cash.

Organiser Yasmin Kaduji said: “We are sending a standard letter to all schools in Banbury raising awareness of Pakistan flood appeal.

“The letter is asking them to send empty money boxes home with children and so they could fill with loose change.

“Boxes will be delivered to each school that wants to take part and picked up when the children have filled them.

“Boxes provided by a local company Bag N Boxman, Terry Andrews who has donated 2000 boxes to cover all the schools and will provide more if needed.”

Across Pakistan up to 20 million people are affected by the monsoon floods and about 1,600 have died.

Most recently, about a million people were evacuated from their homes in Thatta, in the south of the country, after the river Indus burst its banks.

Immediately after the extent of the floods was revealed Banbury’s 5,000-strong Asian community sprang into action organising a series of fundraising events and collections. So far, across the town more than £20,000 has been raised from events including a charity dinner, fun day and football tournament, as well as collections at the town’s two mosques.

Last Saturday, to mark Eid weekend, Banbury’s Odeon cinema showed Bollywood movie My Name is Khan, with proceeds going to the flood appeal.

For more information on fundraising events, call Yasmin on 07878 312073 or Selina on 0778 9590454.