Gainsborough freemasons contribute to £30,000 aid donation for victims of Central American hurricanes

Members of the Mason temple, on North Marsh Road, joined with 19 other Lincolnshire groups to provide aid to families in Nicaragua and Honduras.

The money has been given to Plan International UK, which will use it to provide essential emergency supplies.

Dave Wheeler, Lincolnshire’s provincial grand master, said: “This is a desperate situation and Plan International and the other organisations helping on the ground need all the help and support we can offer.”

The category four hurricane Eta made landfall on Nicaragua’s northern coast in early November, bringing catastrophic rains and winds of 140 miles per hour, blowing roofs off buildings, knocking down trees and leaving 4.2million people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

On November 16, Iota, the strongest Atlantic hurricane of the year, hit almost exactly the same stretch of coast causing further widespread devastation in Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador.

In Honduras alone, more than half a million families have been affected and thousands have seen their homes damaged or destroyed by the winds, rain and subsequent floods.

Schools and health centres have faced the brunt of the storms and roads and power lines have been destroyed, which creates even greater challenges for international response teams and local partners.

Children and families are in need of emergency supplies to help them in this critical period, especially given the additional risks of transmission of COVID-19 in crowded temporary shelters.

The £30,000 grant is enough to provide nearly 900 families with items such as water, soap, sanitiser, toothbrushes, toothpaste, insect repellent, mats, blankets, torches and mosquito nets.

Rose Caldwell, chief executive of Plan International UK, said: “We’re very grateful for this generous grant which will allow us to reach families and young children in those parts of the region hit hardest. It’s critical that we act now to provide this support to those most at risk.”

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