More than 120,000 people from the Philippines live in England and Wales, with many maintaining close links to home

British Filipinos have been quick to react to the devastation wrought by typhoon Haiyan, focusing on practical ways to help including raising money for the devastated areas.

They maintain close relations with the Philippines, and money sent to relatives in the country is crucial to the economy even at the best of times. But in the wake of a tragedy of this scale, people have felt moved to do even more.

London-based Filipino radio station Pinoy Radio UK launched a week-long radiothon on Monday night to raise funds for the Filipino Red Cross. Station manager and presenter Sonny Laragan is also hoping to stage a concert at a 1,000-capacity West End venue with British Filipino stage stars, including some who appeared in Miss Saigon.

Laragan said listeners had been calling up to share their stories of their desperate attempts to contact loved ones in disaster-stricken areas. "Power lines are cut, telephone lines, mobile lines. There are so many people affected who can't get hold of relatives," he said.

As the UK's first flight delivering 8,836 shelter kits landed in the city of Cebu, the Queen sent a message expressing her "heartfelt condolences" to those affected in the disaster.

"I was deeply saddened to hear of the loss of life and devastation caused by the typhoon that hit the Philippines at the weekend," she said in a message to Philippine president Benigno Aquino III.

"Prince Philip joins me in offering our heartfelt condolences to the victims and their families at this difficult time."

Buckingham Palace said the Queen had also made a personal donation to the appeal.

More than 120,000 people from the Philippines live in England and Wales. Among them are estimated to be up to 25,000 Filipino nurses, the result of a recruitment drive under the Tony Blair government.

The Philippine Nurses Association of United Kingdom has also been at the forefront of the response by Filipinos in Britain to the tragedy, spearheading the organisation of a donation event at the Philippine embassy in London between 9am and 5pm on Friday and Saturday, when people are encouraged to bring along canned food, tents, blankets and anything else of use.

The organisation's president, Michael Duque, described it as a donation event "with a twist" as everyone who donates will be offered something free in return, including the chance to get a portrait taken by a photographer at a studio set up at the embassy.

Duque said that although they were a nurses' organisation, most felt travelling to the Philippines at this time was not the most practical way to help. "Instead of spending £800 on an airline fare they would rather donate it or send it to their family."

For many of the organisations, it is not the first time they have had to respond to a tragedy in the Philippines. The Philippine Centre in Hounslow, west London, had originally arranged a fundraiser to help victims of last month's earthquake in Visayas, which killed more than 200 people. But in the wake of typhoon Haiyan the remit of the event has been extended to help victims of the latest disaster to befall the south-east Asian country.

Joysel Dizon Livelo, who works in marketing in London, is using her professional skills to organise a party, which she hopes will engage other young British Filipinos in the relief effort. Dizon Livelo is hoping to finalise a venue in Tufnell Park, north London, over the next 24 hours and get the event put on as soon as possible. She said that funds from the event and a complimentary raffle would go to trusted Philippines-based charities. "It came into my head [to do something] as soon as I heard over the weekend," she said. "I thought, I want to do something, I want to be able to make a difference … My family wasn't affected but seeing kids [affected] and having a son of my own, it's horrible."

• This article was updated on 13 November 2013 to correct the spelling of Joysel Dizon Livelo.