GLOUCESTERSHIRE County Council is giving its backing to a fundraising campaign being led by one of the county's youth MPs.

Alex Farrow, MYP for Stroud and the Cotswolds, has written to every secondary school in the county asking them to give their support to a National Non-Uniform Day where each pupil will give £1 for the tsunami appeal.

The initiative is taking place across the country and Alex is helping to co-ordinating the national campaign.

This is part of the message he has sent to the county's 40,000 secondary school pupils: "At the time of writing the amount the British public has raised is a phenomenal £76 million and put with the £50 million the Government has pledged, gives us something as a country to be proud of, but it cannot stop there.

"Already the Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, has said that he has 'no doubt' that the Government will match whatever the public raise.

"This is most certainly the time to capitalise on the Government's offer of money.

"What I see around me is amazing. Everywhere you look, whether it is on TV, in newspapers or on the radio, everyone is giving something to help.

"Firemen are collecting in the streets, kids donating toys, people giving clothes and thousands of people have donated money to the DEC.

"These are only a few examples of how we are all pulling together, but I am now calling on the schools to add a further £10 Million to this appeal.

"With the aid of all Youth MPs across the country, I am organising a National Non-School Uniform day that will take place on Friday, January 21.

"Each student will be asked to pay just £1 and every penny will go straight to the tsunami appeal.

"I am urging all schools to take part and really I see no reason why they should not.

"This idea is a simple one and one that is manageable to every school in the UK, so there is no excuse not help the millions of tsunami victims.

"Someone once said that simple ideas were the best ones and I completely agree." Cllr Charmian Sheppard, county council portfolio holder for education, said: "We have all seen the terrible images on the TV and in the papers and at a time when we all feel so helpless, this is a positive way for the county's young people to show their support and compassion.

"I am very proud of the way that Alex and his colleagues have taken the initiative and come up with such a simple yet effective way of backing the appeal.

"I am sure that the county's schools will support this as Gloucestershire pupils have a strong tradition of helping others in times of need."