Hurricane Melissa Fund by The Real Ting

I’m Albert Vale, founder of The Real Ting.

I grew up in Portland, Jamaica, in a small farming community. When I moved to Cardiff in 2020, I started The Real Ting to share my culture through authentic food cooked with love. From our stall in Cardiff Market to pop-ups, takeaways, and festivals across Wales, we’ve created a space to celebrate our food, our people, and our community.

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Why We’re Doing This

Hurricane Melissa, a catastrophic Category 5 storm, tore through Jamaica, flattening homes, flooding communities, and leaving people without food, clean water, or shelter. People are facing multi‑layered crises & the extent of the damage is devastating.

We go home to Portland every year to see family and this year, the trip means even more. With your help, we want to bring real, direct support to as many people as we can.

We set up this fund as our way of giving back — to help people on the ground.

The Real Ting has always been about culture, connection, and care. Now, we’re using that same energy to bring people here in Wales and beyond together to stand with Jamaica.

What We’ll Be Doing

In January 2026, we’ll be travelling to Jamaica to deliver support personally and make sure we do our part in giving back to the people who need it.

Our focus:

We’ll start in our home community in Portland, then reach out to other parishes that were hit hardest by the storm.

How the Money Will Be Used

The government has promised major redevelopment work but smaller grassroots efforts like this also make a difference by helping reach families quickly and personally.

Keeping You Updated

We’ll post updates, photos, and videos once we’re on the ground, so you can see how your donations are being used and which communities you’ve helped support.

How You Can Help

Every donation helps. If you can’t give right now, please share this page with your friends, family, or network.

Give thanks, always.

Albert & The Real Ting Family