On August 4, an enormous explosion obliterated the port of Beirut, the capital city of Lebanon. At least 157 people have been killed, with 80 missing and over 4,000 injured. These numbers are likely to continue to rise. The devastation to the city and to the people cannot be understated. The eastern part of Beiruts port has been totally destroyed, and buildings across the city have been severely damaged. This is a scary situation. Hospitals have been heavily damaged, and they are overwhelmed with the number of people now needing medical help unable to treat everyone. Some have had to be treated in the streets and many sent to hospitals outside Beirut. The British Red Cross is working closely with the Lebanese Red Cross who have been responding to the crisis. 

On 18th August, I will be completing the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge, a 24-mile hike to be completed in under 12 hours, and raising money for the British Red Cross, in partnership with the Lebanese Red Cross, to help their response to the explosion in Beirut earlier this month. There has been a huge international effort to respond to the disaster there, and in terms of saving lives and starting the recovery process, every donation helps.