Locals head to Haiti

The full extent of the devastation is still not known, but the recent confirmed death toll has risen above 150,000 in the Port-au-Prince area alone.

Many more bodies remain uncounted under rubble in the capital, including the towns of Jacmel and Leogane.

Some say the 7.0-magnitude quake killed as many as 200,000 people, while an estimated 1.5 million have been left homeless.

The search for survivors has officially ended and the focus has shifted to aid.

Thousands have flocked to Haiti to offer help.

And included in the thousands is Bridge 2 Sri Lanka founder Sarah Griffith and local men Josh Le Moignan and Dave Matheson, who set off for Haiti on Saturday.

The trio decided to offer their aid after Josh and Sarah were both gripped by the disaster.

Townhouse barman Josh (pictured) said that after going out to Sri Lanka to help with Sarah twice before, it was his first instinct to call her and arrange a trip to Haiti.

'I was coming back from visiting my sister in Sri Lanka and I saw it on the news,' he said.

'I left a message on Facebook for Sarah when I got back and asked whether she wanted to go.

'To be honest I wouldn't have been able to get there if it wasn't for Sarah. It is not a place where we can just turn up.'

The trio will be staying in Jacmel, an area to the south of the capital Port-Au-Prince, not badly affected by violence and looting.

Sarah has organised security and a jeep to get around while they are there through contacts that she has on the ground.

There is a planned return trip in March, where they will head out with a team of about 12 skilled local volunteers, including a nurse, carpenter and labourers.

'This is really a recce trip and the plan is to do whatever we can to help while we are there,' said Josh.

'But mainly for us to see it for our own eyes to see how best we can help in March.'

Josh said that he hasn't really prepared himself emotionally for the trip.

'I haven't had much time to think about it, which I think is good, as I know it is going to be bad out there,' he said.

'I'll deal with the emotion when I get back. Right now I just want to go out there and help.

'A lot of my friends are concerned and saying that it is dangerous, but the way I look at it is it was a lot more dangerous five minutes before the earthquake struck.'

The trio have personally paid for their own travel arrangements. A fund-raiser at the Townhouse last Thursday saw a host of local musicians raise more than £1,500 for the group to take to Haiti with them.

Townhouse owner Sam Jarrold donated 15% of the takings and the staff donated their wages for the evening.

'The great thing about Guernsey people donating money, is that they can be reassured that it is going direct to the people of Haiti through us,' said Josh.

'With us going out there, we can see where the money would be more useful. It just shows if I can make a big difference with just sparing cash for a flight, then all those rich businessmen over here could make a huge difference.'