MA Volunteers With All Hands And Hearts

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

The project took place in 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. 

Throughout the 6 week excursion, Mark & Lyn worked 6 days a week, including Saturdays, with a single day off on Sundays to travel away from the base for a well earned rest!

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 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 base, with very simple living conditions and amenities shared equally among volunteers and organisation managers alike. The duration of their trip fell across the rainy season in Catanduanes, making for very hot and humid weather. The purpose of their trip? Hard manual labour. 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 consistently left them with a smile on their faces. They say that the local people 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. This project will create a safe and sustainable learning environment for this generation, and the next.

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

The working week is 6 days long. Base camp provides very basic facilities like bucket and ladle showers and toilets, and communal sleeping facilities with bunks draped in insect netting. Volunteers have a single day off on Sundays for some much needed rest and relaxation, which they spend hours away from 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 All Hands And Hearts has built with local community leaders and law enforcement.

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.

Reflecting on the whole experience, it's been a brutal, beautiful test of endurance. We traded every home comfort for a cramped 2m x 3m bunk room, non-stop mosquitoes, bucket and ladle showers, and a high-carb diet that pushed our stomachs to their limits. Battling relentless heat, tropical storms, and physical exhaustion while handling heavy manual labour - shifting tons of aggregate, sifting endless sand, and wrestling warped timber - was easily some of the hardest work we've ever done.
"Yet, looking back on what we've built, every drop of sweat was worth it. The school canteen stands strong, typhoon proof, and built to last 20 years to feed 30 local children. We're leaving this community with lasting infrastructure, incredible memories, and deep friendships forged with the local families, masons, and international volunteers.

Take a look at the finished project!

See what the volunteers' back breaking work and everyone's generous donations have helped to create for the children of Catanduanes.