In pictures: ShelterBox celebrates 25 years

A man and a woman wearing ShelterBox uniforms sit in front of a wooden ShelterBox sign. They are smiling at the camera. — Image caption,
ShelterBox is looking back at some of its work to celebrate its 25th anniversary

Erin Black

BBC South West

1 September 2025

A disaster relief charity in Cornwall is looking back at some of its work to celebrate its 25th anniversary.

ShelterBox was founded in 2000 by the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard to provide emergency shelter to families who were affected by disaster or conflict.

The international disaster relief organisation has since supported more than three million people in about 100 countries.

ShelterBox chief executive Sanj Srikanthan said he was "incredibly grateful to the volunteers, staff, Rotary members, and donors who make our work possible every day".

Skip image gallery

Image source, ShelterBox [Archive image]
Image caption,
ShelterBox was founded by the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard in 2000 with the intention to support a handful of families a year. Its first response supported people after the Gujarat earthquake in 2001
Image source, ShelterBox [Archive image]
Image caption,
In 2004, when the Boxing Day tsunami swept across Southeast Asia, ShelterBox scaled up like never before and supported people in several different countries
Image source, ShelterBox [Archive image]
Image caption,
In 2010, a catastrophic earthquake struck Haiti. ShelterBox became the largest supplier of tents to the country, providing emergency aid to more than 28,000 families
Image source, ShelterBox [Archive image]
Image caption,
ShelterBox has been supporting people in Syria since 2012 - the charity's longest response
Image source, ShelterBox [Archive image]
Image caption,
In 2019, ShelterBox opened ShelterBox Operations Philippines, its first permanent office in a disaster prone country, enabling it to respond more efficiently when disaster strikes
Image source, ShelterBox [Archive image]
Image caption,
After Cyclone Idai caused flooding in Malawi in 2019, local artisans were given training on how to use ShelterBox materials to construct temporary shelters
Image source, ShelterBox [Archive image]
Image caption,
Local communities being shown how to erect ShelterBox tents after flooding in Pakistan in 2022
Image source, ShelterBox
Image caption,
As well as shelter, ShelterBox supports people with essential items like water filters so people have access to clean drinking water
Image source, Florian Bachmeier
Image caption,
Starting in 2022, ShelterBox, ReliefAid and Green Chernobyl supported people in Ukraine with shelter repair kits to mend damaged homes
Image source, ShelterBox
Image caption,
ShelterBox supported people like Nurgul after an earthquake in Turkey and Syria in 2023
Image source, ShelterBox
Image caption,
2024: ShelterBox and PARC have been supporting people in Gaza with emergency shelter
Image caption,
2025: ShelterBox celebrates 25 years of work across the globe. CEO Sanj Srikanthan smiles for a photo at the charity's base in Cornwall

More news stories for Cornwall
Listen to the latest news for Cornwall
Attribution
Sounds

Follow BBC Cornwall on X, external, Facebook, external and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk, external.

Related topics

More on this story

ShelterBox help to Myanmar to be 'a lot of work'
Published
29 March
Charity helps 25,000 people affected by typhoons
Published
13 January

Related internet links

ShelterBox