Monday, May 11, 2020 – The Ministry of Health reached out to the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund, soon after the committee was established, seeking assistance to procure much needed supplies to support the fight against the current COVID-19 pandemic. The committee immediately responded and after discussions with representatives from the Ministry of Health, committed to support the financing of critical medical supplies and protective equipment. To date the Fund has expended $1,296,415.00 towards the acquisition of the following items:

• 15,000 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Units
• 5,000 Medical Goggles
• 5,000 Medical Shield Masks
• 1 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) System
• 2 Housing Units
• 14 Ventilators.

Today, Mr. Lyndon Guiseppi, Chairman of the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund and Mrs. Denise Godfrey, Senior Marketing Officer, Belize Bank Limited, met with Ms. Ana Bennett, Accountant General, Treasury Department of Belize, to hand over a cheque for payment of the ventilators which recently arrived into the country. The personal protective equipment (PPE), medical goggles and shield masks are also expected to arrive into the country in the coming weeks.

The donation of these items is a part of the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund’s commitment to support the ongoing efforts of the Ministry of Health, the country and the people of Belize to ensure that we stay prepared for any impact from COVID-19.

The committee continues to liaise with the Ministry of Health on an ongoing basis towards providing further assistance for supplies and equipment.

Tuesday, April 21st, 2020 – When the Nurses Association of Belize reached out to the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund for assistance on April 8, 2020, the Committee immediately responded by contacting the association’s President, Mr. Darrell Spencer.

After several rounds of discussions with the association and representatives of the Ministry of Health and Finance surrounding the specific request of the nurses, the Committee agreed to provide funding for the acquisition and furnishing of three new housing units which will be located in the areas of Dangriga and Punta Gorda. In addition to the structures themselves, the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund agreed to provide additional assistance to fund furnishings for these quarters including beds, work desks, refrigerators, oxygen regulators and a number of other supply equipment. The total value of the support given by the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund to the Nurses Association to date has been $170,000.

Today, Mr. Lyndon Guiseppi, Chairman of the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund and Mrs. Celia Swan, Marketing Representative of the Belize Bank Limited, met with Mr. Darrell Spencer, President of the Nurses Association of Belize to hand over a cheque to assist with the ongoing relief effort. Mr. Spencer expressed his organization’s profound gratitude to Lord Ashcroft for his generosity during this difficult and challenging period.

Thursday, April 16th, 2020 – The Belize Red Cross Association today received a donation of $500,000.00 from the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund. The donation was provided to assist with the Association’s mission to prevent and alleviate the suffering of the families most in need during this pandemic. Efforts have commenced to purchase food items and coordinate the distribution to the most affected communities throughout the country of Belize.

This donation was made in the memory of Lord Ashcroft’s mother, Rene Ashcroft who in September 1955 went to Corozal as a part of the Belize Red Cross volunteers to assist in the devastation caused by Hurricane Janet which made landfall as a category 5 hurricane.

The need for Belize Red Cross volunteers is constant and continues to increase as they navigate this crisis. The Association calls on Belizeans who are willing to volunteer during this time to contact them as we are all in this together.

Friday, April 9th, 2020 – The Belize Police Department received a donation from the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund today. The donation was provided to assist Police Officers with much needed personal protective equipment as they continue to work on the frontline and serve our country during the current state of emergency.

We applaud the efforts of the Belize Police Department for their dedication as we continue to fight the spread of this pandemic.