Chaired by Lord Provost John Letford the board includes representatives of the city council, the business community, the churches, the universities and the further education sectors.

The fund, which is in the process of applying for charitable status, has been formed to co-ordinate donations by businesses and individuals in the Dundee area to help maintain awareness of the devastation caused by the tsunami and the urgent need for medical and other assistance.

At the launch of the fund, Mr Letford said “The dreadful loss of life and devastation caused by the tsunami has had a marked affect across the country.

“This appeal is aimed at raising funds for projects that we hope will make a long-term difference to the lives of people who have lost virtually everything.

“The first two projects to be considered by the appeal board are a mobile health clinic and a housing initiative to build affordable housing in Sri Lanka.

“These are exciting projects because they would be linked with a specific area and would allow there to be an ongoing relationship between the people of Dundee and the people in that area.”

However, the Lord Provost stressed that no decisions on individual projects had yet been taken and invited the people of the city to make their views known, to him at the City Chambers, on what they thought the fund should be doing.

“The people of Dundee have a great record of supporting charitable causes and we hope this new appeal will be a focus for fund-raisers in the knowledge that the funds they raise will be going straight to the people in a particular region,” Mr Letford said.

Donations should be made to the Dundee Tsunami Appeal Fund, c/o the Lord Provost at the City Chambers.