Bermudian individuals and companies donated nearly half-a-million dollars to the Bermuda American Relief Fund for the victims of the September 11 attacks on the US.

The fund was set up jointly by the American Society of Bermuda, Bank of Bermuda, Bank of Butterfield and the Bermuda Industrial Union to raise funds and deliver the $475,000 in donations to the spouses and children of the victims.

Individuals donated more than $70,000 to the fund, either independently or as part of various community fundraising activities. The Bank of Bermuda donated $250,000, Bank of Butterfield $150,000 and the American Society of Bermuda gave $5,000.

Some donations were made with requests that the money go to charities such as United Way, September 11 Fund, New York Firefighters 9-11 Disaster Relief Fund, New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund.

The Bermuda American Relief Fund committee decided that the remainder of the money, approximately $450,000, will go to Safe Horizon's Family Assistance Centre - the only agency authorised to disperse emergency relief funds on site, the same day as the request.

Spokesman for the American Society of Bermuda, Wil Weber, said: "This is a wonderful gift from the generous people of Bermuda to the families of the victims in the spirit of Thanksgiving.

"We are all aware of the economic affect of September 11 on the whole world, but we have not forgotten the people who lost family members and are now in need financially and emotionally."

Bank of Bermuda CEO Henry Smith and Bank of Butterfield CEO Calum Johnson released a joint statement, reading: "The Bermuda community has responded with great sympathy and generosity, despite the fact that we have been impacted economically since September 11.

"For our small Island this has been an amazing response.

"Many countries, including Bermuda, lost people in the attack and we sympathise with all those who have been affected," the statement read.