Hurricane Melissa: How can we help from the UK?
Hurricane Melissa is one of the world's strongest storms ever. Here are some ways that people in the UK can help recovery efforts in the Caribbean. We'll keep updating this online as things happen
Donations
Jamaica Government
In the wake of Hurricane Melissa, Jamaica’s Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) has launched a dedicated platform to coordinate relief and rebuild communities.
Visit: supportjamaica.gov.jm - the only official Government of Jamaica site for hurricane recovery support.
The platform provides:
✅ A secure “Donate Now” option for individuals, diaspora and organisations
✅ An interactive shelter locator for those in need
✅ A transparent tracking system for relief resources
Food for the Poor x Jamaica National Group
The Jamaica National Group (JN Group) has partnered with leading Jamaican charity Food for the Poor to collect emergency supplies across the UK for vulnerable communities on the island.
The initiative is supported by The Voice Newspaper, Britain’s leading Black publication, and aims to deliver practical aid directly to those most affected.
Items needed:
✅ Non-perishable food items
✅ Tarpaulins
✅ Solar or battery-powered lights
✅ Personal hygiene products (including adult and baby nappies, menstrual items)
Drop-off locations:
✅ London - JN Money branches in Tottenham (N17 9SY), Elephant Park (SE17 1RW) and Brixton (SW9 7DE); JN Bank Brixton (SW9 7AW)
✅ Birmingham - JN Money Handsworth (B21 9SD) and Perry Barr (B42 1AA); JLB Shipping - Unit G, 215-217 Sams Lane, West Bromwich (B70 7EX), Cleone Foods Ltd - 50 Icknield Street (B18 5AY)
✅ Manchester - JN Money, 112 Hulme High Street (M15 5JP)
✅ Nottingham - ACNA Centre, 31 Hungerhill Road (NG3 4NB)
✅ Brighton - Afrori Books, Brighthelm Church & Community Centre (BN1 1YD)
You can also donate directly to Food for the Poor in Jamaica here.
For more information, contact ISupportJamaica@janouk.com and ffpinfo@foodforthepoorja.org
Jamaica National Group
The Jamaica National Group has also activated its disaster and emergency fund - I Support Jamaica - which will be used to aid in recovery efforts.
Donations can be made in cash or kind now. Visit jnfoundation.com/hurricane-melissa-relief or scan the QR code above.
Jamaican High Commission: Official UK drop-off points for Hurricane Melissa relief
In the wake of Hurricane Melissa, the Jamaican High Commission, London has coordinated official collection points across the UK for relief donations.
Only new items listed on the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) Needs List will be accepted. The full list can be accessed here.
London and the South East
JP Logistics Solutions
14 Lamson Road, Rainham, Essex, RM13 9YY
📅 Monday - Friday | 9 am - 4.30 pm
📞 020 7476 0154 (please call ahead)
Kingsley Shipping Services Ltd
Unit 3, 214 Purley Way, Croydon, CR0 4XG
📅 Monday - Friday | 10 am - 4 pm
📞 020 8689 6622
Croydon BME Forum & Windrush Generation Legacy Association
56A Mitcham Road, Croydon, CR0 3RG
📅 Saturdays | 9 am - 6 pm
📞 020 8684 3719
Sudbury Methodist Church
809 Harrow Road, Wembley, HA0 2LP
📅 Tuesdays | 6 - 8 pm
📅 Thursdays & Fridays | 11 am - 3 pm
📞 07956 646 093
The Midlands and the North
JLB Shipping & Logistics Ltd
Unit G, Sam’s Lane, Spon Lane Trading Estate, West Bromwich, B70 7EX
📅 Monday - Friday | 10 am - 3 pm
📅 Saturdays (1, 8 & 15 November) | 9 am - 12 pm
📞 0121 661 6525 / 0121 525 5881
Cleone Foods Ltd
50 Icknield Street, Birmingham, B18 5AY
📅 Monday - Friday | 9 am - 5 pm
📞 0121 551 2772
The Legacy Centre of Excellence
144 Potters Lane, Birmingham, B6 4UU
📅 Monday - Friday | 10 am - 3 pm
📞 0121 448 8910
Black Curatorial
Black Curatorial have expanded their ‘Hurricane Beryl Fund’ into the ‘Caribbean Hurricane Fund’ to urgently support communities in the affected islands of Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Last year, they raised over £21K to mobilise resources and rebuild efforts, after Hurricane Beryl across the Caribbean region.
Initiated by Black Curatorial, this fund is organised by a collective of organisations based in the UK, including HOUSE OF DREAD, City Splash, Black Things UK, Kwanda and Black Eats.
To support, the link is: https://www.gofundme.com/f/CaribbeanHurricaneFund
Contacting the Caribbean
Please be aware that mobile signal in the area might be affected by damage to local networks and equipment
EE
From 29/10/2025 until 31/10/2025, EE are crediting back charges for mobile calls, texts and data used in Jamaica, as well as mobile and landline calls from the UK to Jamaica.
BT
From 29/10/2025 until 31/10/2025, BT are also crediting back charges for mobile calls, texts and data used in Jamaica, as well as mobile and landline calls from the UK to Jamaica.
Vodafone
Vodafone has announced it will credit back charges for mobile and landline calls between Jamaica, Cuba and the UK. Customers won’t be charged for calls, texts or data used between 28 October and 3 November.
Three
The mobile network has confirmed it will credit back charges for calls, texts and data used between the UK, Jamaica and Cuba from 28 October to 3 November.
O2 / Virgin Media
O2 and Virgin Media have also announced that they will credit back charges for mobile and landline calls between Jamaica and the UK. Customers won’t be charged for calls, texts or data used between 28 October and 3 November.
Jamaica Red Cross
No storm should break the bonds of family. If you’ve lost contact with a family member during Hurricane Melissa, the Red Cross can help you reconnect through their Restoring Family Links service. If the need arises, call them at (876)361-407 or (876)665-6891, or by emailing jrcs@jamaicaredcross.org.
Community action
Emergency meeting in Brixton on Hurricane Melissa response, 6 November 2025
An emergency community meeting will be held in Brixton, South London, to coordinate British-Jamaican communities’ response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.
The event will bring together community leaders, faith groups, diaspora organisations and local authorities to support relief efforts, identify trusted donation routes and press for greater UK humanitarian aid.
📍 Karibu Education Centre, 7 Gresham Road, London, SW9 7PH
🗓 Thursday 6 November 2025 | 7 - 9 pm (doors open 6.30 pm)
🎟 Free entry - all welcome
👉🏾 Register: bit.ly/4oEOXLh
Advocacy
A petition to the British Prime Minister
The UK Government has announced £2.5 million in emergency humanitarian funding to support Caribbean nations recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Melissa.
The funds will go towards rapid response efforts, including the delivery of shelter kits, water filters, blankets and other essential supplies to prevent injury and disease outbreaks across the “Caribbean region”.
However, it remains unclear how much of this support each of the affected countries will receive, including Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba, the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic. The £2.5 million allocation is to be shared among several nations, meaning that, as it stands, the aid does not amount to much.
Britain is understood to be working with tour operators, the Jamaican authorities, and international partners - including the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and UN agencies - to ensure that aid reaches affected communities swiftly and effectively.
The pledge follows the launch of a petition by veteran activist Lee Jasper, urging the British Prime Minister to mobilise greater emergency aid for Jamaica. The campaign has already attracted over a thousand signatures and counting.
Still, continued public pressure will be key in holding the UK government to its commitments. It takes less than a minute to show support - add your name to the petition here: https://c.org/dDY9KL6StJ
Support your favourite creators
In the digital age, small gestures can make a big difference. Simply watching, commenting on, or engaging with your favourite Jamaican, Haitian, Cuban or Dominican creators online helps channel revenue into their platforms - money that can, in turn, support local economies rebuilding after Hurricane Melissa.
If they’re active on social media, liking, subscribing or sharing their work can provide not only financial support, but also a much-needed boost to morale during this difficult time.