Grandma Laticia Lenard`s life was saved during Hurricanes Irma and Maria because her family put her in the bath tub and covered her over with whatever they could find.

Grandma Laticia`s home wasn't saved and the only thing left standing was her bathroom.

Cover photograph is of Grandma Laticia, pictured on the left wearing the hat and blue pinafore, preparing a barbecue to sell food at the side of the road on Virgin Gorda to raise the money to rebuild her home.

Laticia does this every weekend since she lost her home last September and it will take her beyond her lifetime to raise enough money to rebuild her home, in the meantime she is living with her sister.

We have never met Laticia and her story is one that is repeated across the Caribbean like the story about the thousands of star fish washed up onto the beach in a storm being thrown back into the sea one at a time to try and make a difference. Our plan is to make a difference to Laticia`s life by helping to raise the funds to rebuild her home.

Our plan is to meet Laticia in a few weeks time and deliver to her a message of hope as we work to help raise these funds with the support of many people giving a little that will make a difference.

The story so far.

On 23 rd of July 2018 a 40 foot container was hauled from Liverpool to London Gateway sponsored by Speedy Services UK in partnership with charity The Merseyside & Cheshire Commonwealth Association (MACCA) and will arrive on the main Island of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands on Monday July 23rd with hand, garden and power tools for repair recovery and rebuild projects together with cycles 4 kids in the Caribbean.

Video below taken at Speedy Depot Liverpool Friday 22nd June 2018 will explain our project to date.

The same weekend of Saturday 28th of July 2018 Wirral based Merseyside triathlete team Tri 4 Life will arrive in the BVI to run swim and cycle their way around the 4 main Islands . The team will support The Youth Empowerment Programme (YEP) with road shows after each event to encourage & inspire young people to reach their potential through sport and to support their communities by helping people such as Grandma Laticia. The cycles 4 the Caribbean will be handed over to kids in local community organised by YEP.

The tools will be used to help rebuild homes such as Laticia and help begin a youth project to help maintain senior citizens gardens run by YEP.

Photo: Tri 4 Life Team cycles 4 the Caribbean UK relay challenge May 5th 2018 Brunswick Dock Liverpool , quick swim before cycle relay ride with the Baton of Hope to North Wales Police HQ in support of the BVI.

Oldest member of the team Ray Hanlon far right holding the Baton of Hope for the BVI before his 50 mile ride.

The Tri 4 Life Team is lead by former Royal Marine reservist Liam Hanlon who is a company director of a building company in the Northwest of England called the Forshaw Group and supported by 74 year old farther Ray Hanlon who is a joiner. Ray completed his first of 3 Iron man challenges at the age of 60.

Together Ray and Liam with 10 other veterans and new members of the Tri 4 Life team will be completing 2 runs, 3 swims and 1 cycle event over 5 days from Monday 30 th of July to Friday 3rd of Agust.

Joiner Ray has offered to stay behind to help in rebuild repair projects such as the rebuild of Laticia`s home which will see the beginning of the next project of skills 4 the Caribbean if we can raise the money for materials.

Photo left to right , Dan Holdsworth, Kieran & Ray Hanlon with Garth Dallas General Secretary of MACCA. Setting off on the Cycles 4 the Caribbean 2018 UK relay ride from outside Merseyside Police HQ to North Wales Police HQ.

The support started in December 2017 with operation Rudolph organised by Disaster Relief Charity Team Rubicon UK supported by UK Police Forces, Tri 4 Life, The Liverpool Commonwealth Association, HMS and many others across the UK when 2000 + shoe boxes were delivered to the BVI for kids just before Christmas and the first 35 Cycles 4 the Caribbean organised by Dan Holdsworth of Merseyside Police were delivered on a 20 foot container.

Photo Left to right CEO Youth Empowerment Programme Stacy Mather, Richie McSweeney Grey shirt for Team Rubicon UK, centre Constable Vicki Ephgrave Avon & Somerset Police organise of shoe box appeal with members of YEP and the local Rotary Club Tortola BVI.

As the video above shows we are now sending tools, football kits, and skills 4 the Caribbean and need your help by joining to support the team to help rebuild peoples homes in the Caribbean territories starting with Grandma Laticia.

Please sponsor and follow the Tri 4 Life Team 2018 BVI challenge between July 30 th to August 3 rd on Facebook " Tri 4 Life" & Twitter @UKPoliceC4TC as we run 15 kilometres swim 45 Kilometres and cycle 60 kilometres around the British Virgin Islands and help raise the funds to provide the materials Grandma Laticia will need to begin the rebuild of her home.

Look out for us as we also prepare a UK National Relay event for May bank holiday weekend 24th to 27th 2019 to pass the baton of hope around from City to City to help raise support to continue this starfish project to see more homes like Laticia`s rebuilt, repaired and to help the Caribbean Commonwealth Territories recover.

Photo Left to right Chief Inspector Owain Lewelln North Wales Police receiving the baton of hope in support of the BVI from Tri 4 Life Team leader Liam Hanlon before setting off to Cheshire Police HQ in May 2018 relay ride.

All funds will be received by Charity MACCA and used for rebuild repair recovery projects starting with Grandma Laticia Lenard .

Final message from Commissioner of the RVI Police Mr Mick Matthews.

Thank you for your kindness, please share and help deliver a message of hope through just giving.

" Hope is the anchor of the Heart"