An earthquake-hit town in Italy’s le Marche region has embarked on a fund-raising project to build a community centre and breathe life back into social activities.
Caldarola, which is in the province of Macerata, suffered badly from the earthquake that hit central Italy in 2016. Its plight was brought to the attention of the Monte San Martino Trust by one of MSMT’s supporters, James Rawlinson. His grandfather, Cyril ‘Squiff’ Rawlinson, a sergeant in the Scots Guards, was sheltered on a farm near Caldarola after escaping from PG53 Sforzacosta following Italy’s capitulation in September 1943.
James and his brother Andrew are researching their grandfather’s story. James recently made contact with Francesco Porfiri, the grandson of the couple who looked after Cyril.
Cyril and his fellow escaper, Eric Pole, made it back to Allied lines in June 1944. Both men visited the Porfiri family after the war.
The community centre project, which is supported by a non-governmental organisation named KitoOnlus, based in Padua, has a fund-raising target of £94,934. The earthquake left many of Caldarola’s buildings uninhabitable and there is a lack of places to host social events, sports and workshops. Young people, in particular, risk marginalisation and being forced to move away from the town. Some residents have already left. A thriving community centre might encourage them to return.
To read about the project, and donate to the project, follow this link.