K1 Britannia Foundation continue their relief efforts in the Caribbean

IN September, the Caribbean was devastated by two hurricanes, Hurricane Maria and Hurricane Irma, destroying the homes and livelihoods of thousands living in the region. In the aftermath of the hurricanes, islands across the Caribbean received emergency relief from European and North American governments, alongside charities such as the Red Cross and UNICEF.

K1 Britannia Foundation volunteer embraces a local woman affected by the Hurricanes

K1 Britannia Foundation, which is named after the famous sailing yacht, aims to combine a passion for sailing and classic yachts with a desire to help others, has been and continues to be involved in relief efforts in the Caribbean as a whole. The boats owned by the K1 Britannia Trust are used to aid charitable causes. Their special focus in the region is Dominica and Saint Maarten. Dominica is a sovereign island nation, Saint Maarten is a constituent country of the Netherlands.

In Saint Maarten, K1 uses its boats to provide water, food and materials to institutions distributing relief on the island. It has also collaborated with other local organisations who have started to rebuild public buildings on the island – the aim is for the island to be fully functional by Christmas. K1 volunteers have also been assisting international and local aid organisations in Dominica – for example, assessing the shelters on the island housing roughly 3,000 Internally displaced persons affected by Hurricane Maria.

K1 have longer term goals to rebuilding Saint Maarten and other islands in the Caribbean. Their main aim is to rebuild the maritime educational sector of the island through partnering with marine companies on the island to help rebuild the sailing schools and also find ways to improve the maritime educational opportunities for the youth of the islands. This would help with long-term job creation in the region.

by Allie Nawrat 

K1 Britannia Foundation will be present at the Fort Lauderdale Boat show until November 5 where they hope to raise support, awareness and partnerships to continue their rebuilding programmes in the Caribbean

Donations to the K1 Britannia Foundation can be made here