There have been many natural disasters affecting our world during the past decade. Just as we recover from the impact of one, another one occurs and the impact of the first is overshadowed. Even forgotten. We take it for granted that governments are supported by global funds from United Nations or other sources for their financial needs after a natural disaster. Not always so!

Can you imagine hearing that a country cannot afford to rebuild its Parliament in 2007?

That is the sad state of affairs on the small Caribbean Island of Grenada which has struggled to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Ivan since 2004. Over 80% of the island was affected which impacted its 100,000 residents. Relief organisations and countries pledged aid to rebuild the essentials as quickly as possible -- i.e. hospitals, homes, schools and police stations. However, that financial aid has not stretched to rebuilding an important part of the history of this Commonwealth country.

There are several well-known personalities connected to the island (e.g. Lewis Hamilton (home to grandparents), Morgan Freeman (house in Grenada), Billy Ocean (birthplace), Jason Roberts (Blackburn footballer) and Private Johnson Beharry who was awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery).

Today, at the Royal Institute of British Architects in Portland Place, London, Baroness Howells launches "WhatWeBuilt.Com," a website and campaign to drive donations to support the rebuilding project. The fund is called "GIFT" and it is not about funding politics or political parties but it’s about funding the historic buildings that house the Government business on the island of Grenada.

Says Campaign Manager, Saundra Glenn "I found out about the fund recently and it would possibly take more than my lifetime to raise the money without public support. This is not about Grenadians helping Grenada but reaching out to everyone. The fund has its own charitable organisation and bank account under "Grenada International Foundation Trust" Limited, or GIFT. Trustees include Baroness Howells and Mr Joseph Charter, the High Commissioner for Grenada."

Says the Baroness "The architect's report for the estimates on a hurricane-proof building seems at first to be a large amount of money at £2 million. However, on reflection, when one considers how much it would cost to rebuild our UK Parliament in the hundreds of millions then the cost for Grenada is proportionate. With so much damage to repair, we need this campaign to get more help." The buildings referred to are used solely for Government business and are known as Government House (used to support visits from the Queen as Head of State) and the House of Parliament.

This Christmas 2007, GIFT is will start to create a £2 million fund to firstly rebuild Government House in Grenada, as this is the formal building used by the Governor General who is the Island's representative to the Queen. If we can manage Parliament as well by raising a further £10 million, then that would make all the Christmas, Birthdays and surprise GIFTs for many years to come. The financial drive will be channelled through a new website owned by the UK High Commission for Grenada.

DONATIONS OF ANY AMOUNT FROM £1 CAN BE MADE VIA THE WWW.WHATWEBUILT.COM SITE, OR BY CHEQUE. A DONATION IN THE AMOUNT OF £500 WILL BUY A BRICK WHICH WILL BE NAMED IN HONOUR OF THE GIFT GIVER IN A LEGACY DOCUMENT AT THE ACTUAL SITE. THERE WILL BE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF ALL CONTRIBUTIONS AND THE BUILDINGS WILL BE KNOWN FOREVER AS "WHAT WE BUILT."