Andrew Biss, co-owner of the Primrose Valley hotel in St Ives, has just returned from a two-week trip to the island on behalf of the charity Shelterbox where he was part of an operation that has supplied survival essentials to about 80,000 people.
During his trip, Biss, who has flown out to six disaster zones in the past two years, had to deal with some difficult situations, but said he believed his background in hospitality meant he had the skills to cope with them.
“Being in the hospitality industry we have to be very personable, and sometimes to someone you don’t want to be,” he said. “A huge part of my work with Shelterbox is about forging relationships and getting people to trust you, skills you develop in this industry.
“People in Haiti are desperate and I think if I had a family to shelter and feed I wouldn’t form an orderly queue, but I can’t say I ever felt at risk when I was out there.”
Staff support
Biss spent two days in the Dominican Republic helping get aid across to Haiti before he hitched a ride on a UN helicopter to the island. He spent days working with the Dutch and US marines distributing survival boxes before flying back home to his business and family.
The hotelier, who runs the nine-bedroom boutique hotel with his wife Sue and mother-in-law Rose Clegg, said he was fortunate to have the support of them and their staff.
“I couldn’t do it without the support of our staff here. A few years ago it would have been impossible, but we’ve grown up as a business and we’ve got a great team in place who are able to take up the slack when I’m away,” he said.
Shelterbox delivers emergency aid in the form of green ShelterBoxes, containing a 10-person disaster relief tent, water purification and storage equipment, blankets, mosquito nets, a stove, cooking utensils and other vital items.
Since the earthquake struck Haiti several weeks ago, the industry has rallied around to help. The London office of charity Action Against Hunger was inundated with calls from restaurants when it sent out an appeal last month and many chefs have offered to cook at special dinners to raise funds for earthquake survivors.