Donate for those affected by Hurricane Melissa
Members of our maternity team are collecting non-perishable goods as part of an aid drive to support those affected by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica.
Shinelle Best, Betty Ann Allwood, Calecia Bronstorph and Laura-Anne Francis will personally pack all items received by Saturday, and will ship them via a reputable shipping company, which they will pay for themselves. A member of the team will also be travelling to Jamaica to personally oversee the arrival and distribution of the goods.
The drive comes after the devastating storm in the Caribbean, which has left 72% of Jamaica without electricity and 13,000 people in shelters.
Laura-Anne, lead midwife for the Diamond community midwifery team in Brent, said: “Many, if not all, of us are Jamaican born, spent our childhoods in Jamaica or are born of Jamaican parents. So although we would have been saddened and willing to help had this happened anywhere in the world, the fact that this has happened at home hits hard for us.
“We have a short time to reach as many people as possible before we start packing and preparing for shipment of goods. Every little helps and we would be grateful for anything you can share.”
What to donate
The team would love to receive any non-perishable goods or food that you can spare. Examples of items that would be most helpful include:
- Clean and washed baby or children's clothing and footwear
- Clean and washed adult clothing and footwear
- New, unused underwear
- Clean and washed linen and bedding
- Canned and non-perishable foods (such as tinned fish, rice, flour, condensed milk)
- Ready to drink baby formula (no powder please due to limited sterilisation resources)
- Nappies and baby wipes
- Over the counter pain relief, such as paracetamol, ibuprofen or Calpol
- Sanitary towels
- Incontinence pads and incontinence underwear
- Insect repellent
- Toiletries, including shower gels, soaps and deodorant
- Batteries of all sizes or powerbanks
- Torches
- School supplies
- Tarpaulins
The team cannot accept any item containing flammable liquids, such as petrol or acetone.
Where to donate
Bring all donations to the maternity entrance on level 4 at Northwick Park Hospital. A volunteer will be present to accept donations and answer questions.
Donations must be received by the end of Friday 7 November as the team will pack and ship the goods on Saturday.