Wandsworth Chef fundraises for food in aid of Bahamas victims affected by Hurricane Dorian
BY JAMES TWOMEY
james@slpmedia.co.uk
A chef has started to fundraise for food that he can take to the Bahamas to feed people in the wake of Hurricane Dorian.
Carlyle Bain, 34, from Battersea Park, came from the Bahamas in 2002 and studied to become a chef at Westminster Kingsway College, in 22 Peter Street Soho.
But now he wants to return to his home, which has been left battered without clean water and food supplies since the deadly hurricane struck on August 24 and finished on September 8.
“I’m fundraising to get a continuous flow of food into the country,” said Carlyle. “It’s not an overnight
project, it will take a long time until everything gets back to normal.
“We need help and we need to make more people aware that people need help. “I’m flying out next Friday to see my family and see what is needed on the ground. “Infrastructure is damaged and access is difficult because transport has broken.
“People are stuck in their neighbourhoods. “They just got electricity back but clean water is
still unavailable.”
According to United Nations officials more than 60,000 people will need clean water and food.
None of Carlyle’s family were hurt during the hurricane though some family members’ houses
were destroyed.
“Healthwise everyone is okay thankfully. They were in a pocket with no major flooding but there is roof
damage from the storm.
“I was very surprised at the strength of hurricane. Having grown up there and lived through many hurricanes I had never seen one that bad for that long and that much water depth.
“I was praying for wind to come and push it along.
“It was frightening seeing friends I grew up with stuck on the roofs of their houses and thinking ‘this is
happening and there is nothing I can do to help’. I was very afraid.
Carlyle, who works at the Beehive Gastro pub in Crawford Street, Marylebone, is aiming to raise £10,000 to help import food from Florida in the USA.
“Each pallet costs $160 (£128) and we have a lot of mouths to feed.
“The pallet will include staple foods like rice, grits, canned goods and dried veg. “We also need to bring cooking equipment as lots of people are starting from zero.
“The aim is to help people feed themselves and get back to where they were before the hurricane.”
To help, go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/sq7bp-bahamas-hurricane-relief-fund
