A number of Charlton Athletic’s men’s first-team players of Jamaican heritage have joined forces to donate to Hurricane Melissa Relief and raise awareness for the cause, following the devastating impact the hurricane has had on Jamaica this week.
Thousands of people have been affected, with families displaced, homes destroyed and livelihoods shattered across the island.
Karoy Anderson, Amari’i Bell, Tyreece Campbell, Kaheim Dixon, Harvey Knibbs and Miles Leaburn have all pledged to support the relief efforts.
Leaburn said: "My late grandparents were born in St. Catherine, Jamaica, and I have many cousins living there who have been affected by the hurricane. Thankfully, there’s been no loss of life, but there’s been great damage to homes. The area currently has no water or electricity, and roads are blocked by fallen trees. The community is waiting for emergency services to arrive and help.
"This hurricane has affected everyone across the island. I send my condolences to the families who have lost loved ones and those on the west side who felt the full impact and have lost everything. This is a time when Jamaica desperately needs outside help."
Bell, who has represented Jamaica on 29 occasions and captained his country twice, added: "To see the news and what’s going on over there is devastating. From our perspective, we see what’s happening on TV, but that doesn’t give you the real feel. Speaking to people back home and getting a better insight has been tough.
"Jamaica is where my family are from, and I’m very proud of that heritage. Any little bit we can do to help as a community is important. A few of us represent the nation, and a few more have Jamaican roots, so we came together and thought, 'what can we do? how can we help?' If we can play even a small part, hopefully we can make a difference."
Knibbs, who also has Jamaican heritage through his father’s side, said: "It’s been catastrophic. I’ve still got family over there, and it’s been devastating really. We’ve just been making sure they’re safe and that their friends and family were able to evacuate. Now it’s important to get the aid there and the help that we can.
"We’ve got a lot of Jamaican players in the team, so it’s important for us to get the message out there. In this moment, directly after the disaster, it’s crucial to get supplies and power restored. Any way the money can help is obviously beneficial.
"Any way we can help spread the message, get more donations, and support the country, we want to do that."
Supporters wishing to donate to the relief cause can do so by clicking here.
