Thursday, September 8th, 2020-To promote healthy living, discipline, and hard work of its athletes, The Belize Athletic Association (BAA) reached out to the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund committee to acquire much needed athletics equipment for its members. 

Today, Mr. Lyndon Guiseppi, Chairman of the Lord Ashcroft Covid-19 Relief Fund committee, officially handed over the valuable equipment to the President of the BAA-Deon Sutherland JP. 

Mr. Sutherland expressed his gratitude to Lord Ashcroft and the committee and further stated “The equipment  will provide a fantastic boost to our efforts to help our athletes perform to the very best of their abilities and go a very long way in assisting the BAA to provide the environment for our athletes and coaches to train using the proper equipment. It will better enable us to host national and, in the near future, regional tournaments”.

The Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund Committee is honored to assist the The Belize Athletic Association  in achieving its goal in using athletics as a tool in the development of Belize.

Monday, August 24th, 2020 – The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center (TBZTEC) is a conservation organization that has been proudly serving Belize for the past 137 years. Visitors to the zoo total approximately 86,000 annually, of which fifty percent are Belizeans.

With the closure of the airport and the domestic state of emergency measures caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic the income stream for the zoo has been severely impacted. The zoo is currently opened by appointments only, and it is only through the generous donations from merchants and the public that they are able to feed the animals and keep staff employed. As a result, The Belize Zoo reached out to the Belizean community and the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund seeking financial assistance.

Being deeply committed to the protection of animals and wildlife around the world, as highlighted in his recent book publication, “Unfair Game”, Lord Ashcroft pledged his avid support to this most needed effort.

Today, Mr. Lyndon Guiseppi, chairman of the Lord Ashcroft Covid-19 Relief Fund met with Mr. Celso Poot, representative from the TBZYEC Management Team to hand over a donation in the amount of $20,000.00. Mr. Poot expressed his profound gratitude on behalf of the TBZTEC management, staff and animals. He further explained that the funds will go directly into the care, nutrition and enriched quality of life for over 200 animals which represent 45 native species of Belizean wildlife.

Monday, August 24th, 2020 – To enhance the health and well-being of fellow police officers, The Belize Police Commissioner-Chester Williams presented a proposal to the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund committee to acquire state of the art gym equipment and materials for the renovations of the Police Fitness Center. Embracing the culture of health and wellness, the committee agreed to contribute to the proposal.

Today, Mr. Lyndon Guiseppi, chairman of the Lord Ashcroft Covid-19 Relief Fund committee, presented Belize Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chester Williams with a cheque valued at $135,600.00.

The Commissioner expressed his gratitude to Lord Ashcroft and the committee and further stated, “Police Officers make many daily sacrifices-working long and late hours- which eventually impact their overall health and well-being. Exercise is known to be directly proportional to improving both physical and mental health. Officers who have top physical health will have greater productivity and effectiveness in their duties.”

To have a safe and well-equipped gym that is accessible and affordable for police officers, the Police department has sourced the expertise of Mr. Darwin Gallardo, owner and manager of Muscle Hut Gym. Mr. Gallardo will assist in the renovation of the Police Fitness Center in Belize City and acquire the equipment needed. State of the art gym equipment that the funds will cover include spinning bikes, dumbbells, Olympic plates, BUGE Smith machine, cable crossover, adjustable benches and more.

The Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund Committee is honored to assist the department in achieving its health and fitness goals and to promote a healthy and active workforce as members of the department continue to serve the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Friday, July 24, 2020 – In early June, the Rotary Club of Belize along with its counterpart Kolbe Foundation, which now manages the Belize Central Prison, reached out to the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund seeking financial assistance for the mass production of reusable face masks. A donation in the amount of $60,000.00 was granted which covered the cost for the production of approximately 20,000 face masks by the Tailoring section of the Prison’s rehabilitation program.

On July 22nd, the first supply of masks was distributed to various non-profit organizations whose mandate is to assist the marginalized communities of Belize. These organizations included; Help Age Belize, Belize Diabetes Association, Mercy Clinic, Mental Health Association, Salvation Army of Belize, Belize Cancer Society, Rotary Sunrise Clubs countrywide and the Rotaract Club of Belize. On behalf of these organizations, The Rotary Club of Belize expressed their appreciation to the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund for partnering with them in this initiative to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Belize.

July 21st, 2020 – Since the closing of schools in March, almost 100,000 students at the pre-primary, primary and secondary levels of education have been out of school for an extended period of time. In an effort to bridge the learning gap, the Ministry of Education made a decision to re-open schools earlier than normal. To ensure the safety of students, regular handwashing, wearing of masks and physical distancing are now mandatory. In most of our schools countrywide, however, physical distancing would be an issue as most of their furnitures are benches, which accommodate up to three students. In order to be physically distant at a minimum of three feet, schools would need to acquire individual student arm chairs.

The Ministry of Education reached out to the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund committee seeking financial assistance to provide much needed classroom furniture to pre-primary and primary schools that are in dire need. The Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund committee immediately agreed to assist with the provision of armchairs for 105 schools across the country.

Today, Mr. Lyndon Guiseppi, Chairman of the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund, met with Dr. Carol Babb, Chief Education Officer in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and the General Managers of the various school boards including Catholic, Methodist, Anglican, Presbyterian and Government schools, to formalize the arrangement and to hand over the donation in the amount of $200,000.00. The funds will be used to purchase 4,425 individual student arm chairs that will ensure physical distance for the re-opening of schools across the country.

Dr. Babb extended a heartfelt thank you to Lord Ashcroft, Mr. Guiseppi and the Relief Fund committee on behalf of Hon. Patrick Faber, the General Managers of schools and the entire Ministry of Education for the generous support given to the schools. She continued, “The MOE’s mantra is “Education is Everybody’s Business” and you have demonstrated that belief with the generous donation, especially in these unprecedented times”.

On behalf of Lord Ashcroft and the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund committee, Mr. Guiseppi welcomed the opportunity to partner with the Ministry of Education on this initiative. Lord Ashcroft has always been an avid supporter of Education in Belize and pledges his continued support to Dr. Babb and the Ministry of Education.

On July 15th, 2020 the Belize Police Department held its first National Citizens Appreciation Day to recognize outstanding contributions they have received from the community; this included individuals, as well as businesses and other non-profit groups. The event was observed under the theme, “Honoring and Celebrating our Citizens for partnering with us for a safer Belize’.

Today, Mr. Lyndon Guiseppi, Chairman of the Belize Bank Limited met with Mrs. Dezerie Magdaleno, Deputy Commissioner of the Belize Police Department to receive an award on behalf of Lord Michael Ashcroft. The award is in gratitude and recognition of his valued contribution to the development of the community and support to the Belize Police Department.

Mr. Guiseppi expressed his appreciation on behalf of Lord Michael Ashcroft and applauded the Belize Police Department’s continued dedication to staying on the frontline and serving the country during these unprecedented times.

Friday, June 26, 2020 – With efforts on the way for the re-opening of the Philip Goldson International Airport, the Government of Belize reached out to the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund committee to seek financial assistance to purchases two X-ray machines. These machines will be used by the Belize Customs & Excise Department to scan incoming bags at the airport as a means to minimize human contact and baggage handling while at the same time carrying out the required processes under the law.

Today, Chairman of the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund committee, Mr. Lyndon Guiseppi, met with Mr. Colin Griffith, Comptroller of Belize Customs & Excise Department, to hand over a cheque in the amount of BZ$214,000.00 to cover the cost of two X-ray machines, their installation and operator training. The machines are expected to be in the country within the next couple weeks just before the scheduled re-opening of the airport on August 15th, 2020.

Mr. Griffith expressed his sincere gratitude on behalf of the Government of Belize, stating that the donation of the X-ray machines will not only accelerate the process of Customs clearance but also ensure the safety and efficiency of Customs administration.

As the pandemic continues to impact individuals, families and communities across the world, the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund committee continues to pledge their support to the efforts of the Government of Belize and urges all Belizeans to continue to follow social distancing guidelines set out by the Ministry of Health of Belize.

Thursday, June 11, 2020 – The Rotary Club of Belize along with its counterpart Kolbe Foundation, which now manages the Belize Central Prison, reached out to the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund seeking financial assistance for the mass production of reusable face masks. A total of 20,000 face masks will be produced by the Tailoring Section of the Prison’s Rehabilitation Program which has been actively producing reusable face masks since March of this year. These masks will be distributed throughout Belize by the Rotary Club of Belize, free of cost, to the marginalized community in light of our country’s mandatory State of Emergency regulation to help in further preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Yesterday, Mr. Lyndon Guiseppi, Chairman of the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund and Mrs. Denise Godfrey, Senior Marketing Officer of the Belize Bank Limited met with Mr. Felix Reyes, President of the Rotary Club of Belize and Mr. Francis Woods, Co-Chair Service Projects of the Rotary Club of Belize to hand over a donation in the amount of $60,000.00. Mr. Reyes expressed his appreciation to the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund committee for taking an interest in helping not only our country to fight this latest pandemic but also for investing in the inmates at the Belize Central Prison in acquiring a trade through the Tailoring Program.

Thursday, May 28, 2020 – The Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund continues to work with the Ministry of Health in their ongoing efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in Belize. Further financial support was granted in the amount of $992,759.65 to aid in the procurement of additional equipment and supplies that were ordered by the Ministry and are currently pending payment. These supplies include:

• 1 Extraction Machine
• 1 Video Laryngoscope
• 1 Blood Gas Analyzer
• 12 Cartridges for Blood Gas Analyzer
• 300 Infrared Thermometers
• 50 Nebulizers Assorted Ventilator Supplies Oxygen Masks and Cannulas

Today, Mr. Lyndon Guiseppi, Chairman of the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund, met with Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister of Belize to hand over the cheque.

Combined with the previous donation on May 12th, the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund has expended $2,289,174.65 to the Ministry of Health, who extended its sincerest appreciation to Lord Ashcroft and his COVID-19 Relief Fund committee for their generous assistance and support to Belize’s national COVID-19 health response.

Friday, May 15th, 2020 – The Anglican Diocese of Belize has organized various initiatives aimed at demonstrating their care and concern for all Belizeans as they struggle to cope with the health and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. One of their initiatives is the “Mission Feed Belize” program which is a food pantry program that is currently feeding over 600 families. The program was developed and coordinated by the Diocesan Outreach Commission, who recently reached out to the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund committee, requesting support. Whilst the program was able to sustain their efforts for the month of April, they anticipated that additional funding would be required to increase the food supplies for an extended period of at least three months.

Today, Mr. Lyndon Guiseppi, Chairman of the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund and Mrs. Denise Godfrey, Senior Marketing Officer of the Belize Bank Limited met with Rt. Rev. Phillip Wright, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Belize and Mr. Jeffrey Locke, Chairman of the Anglican Cathedral College, to hand over a cheque in the amount BZ$60,000.00 to assist with funding for “Mission Feed Belize” and the other initiatives organized by the Diocese.

The Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund shares the Diocese’s vision on the positive impact these initiatives will have on already marginalized families of Belize and pledges its ongoing support.