Former Wolves owner Steve Morgan donates $1m to Hurricane Irma relief fund
Former Wolves owner Steve Morgan has donated $1 million – almost £760,000 – to the Barbuda Relief Fund and called for united action to help victims of Hurricane Irma.
The boss of housebuilder Redrow, who sold Wolverhampton Wanderers to Fosun last year, is famous for his generosity.
As well as helping fund Wolverhampton's The Way youth centre he handed more than 11 per cent of his Redrow shares, worth £226 million, to his charitable foundation earlier this year. It is thought to be the biggest-ever charity donation by a British businessman.
Mr Morgan has a home on the island of Antigua, which narrowly avoided the full force of Irma which devastated its sister island, Barbuda.
Irma was a category five hurricane – the highest level possible – and has left a trail of destruction through the Caribbean. Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne has described Barbuda as a 'scene of total devastation with 90 per cent of all buildings destroyed.'
The Mr Browne added that more than 60 per cent of Barbuda’s people are now homeless as a result.
Mr Morgan called on the international community, and those with the available means, to come to the island's assistance as a matter of urgency.
“My heart goes out to everyone affected by Hurricane Irma,” he said. “I've been visiting the island for many years and my family and I consider Antigua as a second home.
“We have all seen the truly horrendous pictures and footage of the damage caused by the hurricane and cannot begin to imagine what it is like for those involved.
“So many people have been affected and now face such a long and hard struggle to return to some kind of normality.
"The devastation on the ground cannot be overstated – we simply cannot stand by and watch the people of Barbuda suffer and I just felt like I had to do something to try to help.
"I would also repeat the calls already made for the international community, and others with the available means, to come together and do whatever they can to help all those affected who are in such desperate need following the devastating hurricane.”
Steve Morgan has made the donation of $1m via his charity - the Steve Morgan Foundation - which he formed in 2001.
