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MA Founders Volunteer with All Hands and Hearts

Mon 08 Jun 2026

Annie Gault, MA, Marketing Coordinator

Mark & Lynda Bridge, the founders of Mark Antony Estates, are volunteering for 6 weeks on a remote island in the Philippines as part of an extraordinary effort to build a school for children who would otherwise go without.

They have flown out to Catanduanes, a small island in the Philippines that is the first Philippine landmass to meet the Pacific ocean, making it prone to frequent typhoons and earning its nickname: "Land of the Howling Winds". 
Infrastructure on Catanduanes can easily be devastated by Typhoon damage, and the local residents rely on the supplies and manpower provided by disaster relief organisations, like All Hands and Hearts, to help them rebuild and bounce back quickly. 

Mark & Lyn are working six days a week, including Saturdays, with a single day off on Sundays where they can travel away from the base for a well earned rest. It is truly humbling to write about their experiences from our air-conditioned office and think about them, thousands of miles away, doing their bit.



This blog will be updated as and when we speak to Mark & Lyn, which - as you can probably imagine, given the remoteness of their base - is a rare pleasure!

 


Weekly Updates:


Click the links below to see what life looks like on the ground for Mark & Lyn, and to keep up to date with the project's progress...    
  • Week Three <-- pending update
 
  • Week Four <-- pending update
 
  • Week Five <-- pending update
 

What inspired Mark & Lyn to work with All Hands and Hearts?



Mark & Lyn decided to dedicate their summer to this volunteering effort after they were caught in Hurricane Melissa's path, whilst on holiday in Jamaica in October 2025.

The hurricane was a devastating Category 5 storm that whipped up wind speeds of 185mph and caused unprecedented destruction. Their flights home were cancelled and they were left in the aftermath, helping the local people as much as possible, but desperately wishing they could do more. This experience made them determined to give back and do whatever they could to help communities around the world who are affected by natural disasters like Hurricane Melissa.

They took part in extensive training workshops prior to departing for Catanduanes, studying modules that would help them support the a disaster-affected community, keep themselves and everyone around them safe, and at the forefront of their training philosophy - promote an inclusive and respectful culture. 

They left the comforts of home behind and moved in to the All Hands and Hearts (AHAH) base, with very simple living conditions and amenities shared equally among volunteers and organisation managers alike. The duartion of their trip falls across the rainy season in Catanduanes, making for very hot and humid weather. The purpose of their trip? Hard manual labor. Physical work under the scorching sun, in heavy full safety gear to protect from mosquitoes and injuries. 

Whilst the work is incredibly demanding and challenging, the good cause they are contributing to always leaves them with a smile on their faces. They say that the local people have welcomed them into the community and that the children are simply wonderful, and so deserving of the best education possible.

Without All Hands and Heart's hard work - and the generous donations from members of the public - the local children wouldn't be able to experience school... something we all take for granted here in the UK. The building they are working on will create a safe and sustainable learning environment for this generation, and the next.
 

What is it really like to live and work in Catanduanes?


Mark & Lyn's working week is 6 days long, including Saturdays. Base camp provides very basic facilities like bucket and ladle showers and toilets, and communal sleeping facilities with bunks draped in insect netting. They have a single day off on Sundays for some much needed rest and relaxation, which they spend hours away from the AHAH base camp on a secluded, strictly no-tourist island. The only reason volunteers are able to access the island at all is thanks to the strong and lasting relationship AHAH has built with local community leaders and law enforcement.

But if anybody thinks Mark & Lyn are abroad lounging on a tropical beach sipping cocktails... they could not be more mistaken!
The work is gruelling and incredibly demanding, both physically and mentally. Mark says it is the single hardest thing they have ever done, but also the most rewarding. The climate is relentless - incredibly hot and humid, and the work is carried out all day under the scorching sun, with volunteers dressed head to toe in full length protective gear and safety helmets, to protect from accidents on base and the mosquitoes.
Every drop of sweat is worth it to give the children of Catanduanes a safe school.
 
 

How can YOU help?


If you can spare anything at all, please donate by clicking the banner below.

You can rest assured that every single penny donated through Mark & Lyn's official fundraiser page goes directly to the project. Even just a couple of pounds buys essential building materials like bags of plaster or nails that simply aren't available otherwise. 

It's support from back home that keeps volunteers going through the heat and hard work!