Visit to ShelterBox H.Q.

Wadebridge Rotary Club visits the new ShelterBox Office in Truro for a guided and interesting tour


Rotary Visit to ShelterBox 28-9-2017

25 Rotarians and guests from Wadebridge descended on the new ShelterBox HQ in Truro, in place of the regular Thursday meeting.

ShelterBox has evolved since its beginnings, the most obvious being the move from Helston to the centre of Truro. This has prompted questions amongst Rotarians about where the money we contribute is going, so this provided an opportunity to ask ShelterBox directly, as well as see round the visitor centre.

After being welcomed by Lesley-Ann Eaton-Keen, we were given a tour of the vistor centre by Tony Williams, himself a Rotarian from Redruth and AG for West Cornwall. The centre is on the ground floor, with operations up a floor and fund raising on the floor above that.

In an area demarcated by a wall of classic green shelterboxes, Patricia Brocklebank and Paul Boote grabbed the opportunity to pack a box, showing us what goes in. Each box is intended to support a family of five people. The contents differ depending on the disaster and the climate, but items such as solar lights, water storage and purification equipment, thermal blankets and cooking utensils help start the process of creating a home in the tent provided. In an example of the learning and evolution, Tony told us that the tent, being the biggest item, used to be packed first with the smaller items around it. Seems logical – but on arrival, the tent is the first thing needed so everything else had to be unloaded to get at it, and kit might “go missing” while the tent was erected. So now the tent goes into the box last.

But the box is no longer the be all and end all of ShelterBox. Not every emergency is met with a box. Sometimes the ShelterKit is a better answer - a selection of materials, including toolkits, ropes, fixings and heavy-duty tarpaulins, that can be used to make emergency shelters, repair damaged buildings and create the foundations for new homes. This can be supplemented by lighting, water containers and purifiers or other items, as needed for the particular disaster. A ShelterKit is much cheaper than a tent and can be more effective, if for example buildings are damaged but still standing and usable.

The effort is to tailor what is supplied to what is needed, and avoid things that are not needed or won’t be used. ShelterBox has improved its cultural awareness. For example, it doesn’t send sleeping bags any more. To many recipients, these look like body bags and they won’t use them. So blankets are sent instead. In this way, costs can be reduced so that more people can be helped with the same money.

ShelterBox partners closely with Rotary International. Not only does Rotary generate around a third of Shelterbox’s income, it also provides invaluable support through the clubs in the disaster areas, such things as translation, transportation, customs clearance, access to government officials, local know-how and practical skills. This relationship can clear red tape and speed up delivery of shelter. 

Michael Johns is the chief operating officer. He explained where ShelterBox sees itself going. 19 million people were displaced by natural disasters last year, and 65 million by conflicts (20% in Syria). ShelterBox helped 30,000 families, about 150,000 people. This is good, but there is still a huge gap. They were faced with a choice of remaining a relatively small niche player, on around £6m per year, or growing to meet more of the need, which would entail an increased and more professional approach to fund raising.

Its vision is “No family without shelter”. In more concrete terms, it aims to provide shelter for one million people a year by 2025, with a net income of £40m to devote to aid – helping more people for less money.

The new offices are part of this. There was not the scope to expand the office space at Helston, so ShelterBox sold the property it owned there and now rents in Truro. The visitor centre in a central location contributes to the fund raising. 

It will continue its sharp focus on providing shelter. People are always suggesting good ideas – sanitation and medicines were suggested by Rotarians on the night, for example – but this is seen as diverting from the expertise that ShelterBox has developed. The other things are important, and life-saving, but the approach is to link with other organisations that do them. There isn’t enough money to provide all the shelter needed, never mind anything else.

In the middle of seeing and hearing what happens, we had a £15 buffet supper and a glass of wine in the cafeteria area (which is also where Truro Evolution Rotary satellite club meets). Our thanks to ShelterBox for that and the opportunity to see and hear what they are doing now.

Report and some photos by Kevin Smith; with other photos by Paula Martin 



Related pages...

AFRICA NOW POLIO FREE

more Rotary's continuing success in abolishing wild polio

Street Collection for Indonesian Tsunami Victims

more Wadebridge Rotary holds a street collection to raise money for ShelterBox to aid Tsunami victims.

A French Meal to Aid Rotary's End Polio Campaign

more

Rotary - The World Over

more

Charity Supper supports ShelterBox

more Wadebridge Rotary Club members enjoy a candlelit supper to raise funds for ShelterBox

Rotary Race Night

more Wadebridge Rotary Club holds a race night for shelterbox and international causes.

Floods in Vietnam

more Financial help needed urgently. Wadebridge Rotary Club supports lendwithcare.org

Street Collections for Hurricane Relief

more Wadebridge Rotary Club holds two street collections for a Rotary Caribbean Relief Fund

Donations to ShelterBox for Hurricane Irma

more A link to ShelterBox website to enable you to make a donation.

ECUADOR EARTHQUAKE APPEAL

more Wadebridge Rotary Club provides shelters for homeless Ecuadorians

VISIT TO NEPAL

more

ITALIAN EVENING RAISES FUNDS FOR OVERSEAS PROJECTS

more Wadebridge Rotary Club holds an Italian themed evening for international charitable causes

RAJIP - HOPE FOR THE FUTURE?

more

Rotary Club informed about Rotary's Charity

more

Mr Francis Olowo, deputy Head teacher, with the water tank and the 40 m of guttering used to fill it

WATER SUPPLY FOR A UGANDAN SCHOOL

more

AMBULANCES ON THEIR WAY TO KOSOVO

more

A WELCOME BACK FROM KOSOVO

more Wadebridge Rotarians who drove the ambulances to Kosovo are awarded with a momento from the Club

PRE KOSOVAN PUBLIC DISPLAY

more An opportunity to display the three ambulances in Wadebridge prior to the long journey.

Rotary Money to Fight Polio in Africa & Asia

more

COLLECTION FOR THE PHILIPPINES

more Wadebridge Rotary Club holds street collection for Philippines Disaster

Fine Dining for Charity

more Wadebridge Rotarians supporting charity

Quilt Raffle for ShelterBox Winners

more

Grand Charity Silent Auction Success

more

Marathons on South West Coastal Path

more Rotarian Martin Parnell to complete a marathon a day, running from Minehead to Poole in 25 days

Update on Polio Eradication.

more

Thomas the Tanker

Wadebridge Rotary Club Street Collections

more Wadebridge Rotary Club collects to send aid to Kosovo

End Polio Now

more Details of Rotary's campaign to eliminate polio.

A Nursing Memoir of the Falklands War

more

Wadebridge Rotary Club receives ShelterBox Award

more

Two Rotarian collectors

COLLECTIONS FOR NEPAL EARTHQUAKE FUND

more Wadebridge Rotary Club holds street collections to send aid to Nepal.

A photo of the ambulance with Wadebridge Rotary Club's Logo

RACING TO SEND ME TO KOSOVO

more Wadebridge Rotary Club to raise funds to send ambulances to Kosovo.

More Rotary Aid for Kosovo

more .

Journey to Kosova - A Daily Log

more Thomas & Brian's (water tankers)journey to Kosova. A daily log.

Update on Convoy to Kosova in May

more Details of Rotary's Convoy to Kosova from 11 May 2012,

Wadebridge Rotarian in Aid Convoy to Kosovo

more Wadebridge Rotary Club member joins a 1290 District aid convoy to Kosovo

POLIOPLUS - A 30 YEAR ANNIVESARY

more Rotary's achievements in the bid to rid the world of polio.

Result of Easter Book Collection

more Wadebridge Rotary Club co-ordinates a book collection for Burmese school children

back to page above this...

HOW WE SUPPORT OVERSEAS PROJECTS

back Rotary Club's Support for International projects