A HAMPSHIRE man who lost his wife in the Boxing Day tsunami has taken a key role in a national support group for other grieving families.

Stephen Gill had been on the Thai island of Phuket with his wife of nine months, Heather, and her 17-year-old daughter, when the tsunami struck on Boxing Day 2004.

Mrs Gill was swept away but in the wake of the tragedy her husband has become a committee member for Tsunami Support UK and is hoping to gather survivors together for a summer picnic.

Mr Gill, from Lee-on-the-Solent, said: "Initially our task has been to organise ourselves into a working group that can facilitate meetings and allow people to find the support they need and our first meeting has now been booked for June 24.

"We will be holding a picnic in one of the beautiful country parks in Hampshire. It was felt we should get away from holding all meetings in London, and Hampshire was the county worst affected by the disaster."

After the disaster the government established the Tsunami Support Network which recently became Tsunami Support UK with survivors and the bereaved being asked to run it.

To date the government and the Red Cross have made contact with about 220 people from all over Britain who either survived or lost a loved one.

They are passing what contact information they have to Tsunami Support UK which is trying to get in touch and offer them support.

Official figures indicate that 150 British citizens died in the tsunami, there were more than 800 seriously injured, and a further 9,000 returned to the UK from affected areas.

Mr Gill and Heather who was a learning support assistant at Neville Lovett Community School in Fareham were staying in a bungalow near the beach when the wave struck.

Mr Gill said: "There are no figures for the number of bereaved, close friends or extended family who were affected.

"We feel only a tiny number of the people who have suffered and continue to suffer, have so far become involved or have taken solace from the network.

"By organising events around the country and by raising the profile of this large group, we hope to reach out to as many of our fellow sufferers who feel they need help."

Tsunami Support UK is keeping the event's location a secret but anyone who wants to meet fellow survivors is asked to contact the Red Cross who will in turn pass on the details of the venue.