Help us get back on our feet: our Marzano needs you

Dear friends,

14 March 2025 was a day that left an indelible mark on our community. Marzano, a small hamlet of Borgo San Lorenzo, was swept away by a landslide that took with it the roads, the water pipes and, with them, a piece of our hearts. Fortunately, there were no casualties, but the damage is immense. We are now cut off, without water, and with no secure future ahead of us.

There are 26 of us, a few families who have lived and worked on this land for generations. Families who produce olive oil, fodder and chestnuts, and who rear sheep, goats, horses and beautiful alpacas. We are bound to this land with our hearts and our hands, but today we are in trouble, overwhelmed by the devastation. Our roads have collapsed, our businesses have ground to a halt, our daily lives are on hold. We can hardly breathe…

We have long-established businesses, yet now we are closed, with no idea for how much longer.

• The L’Aia di Martino restaurant, which has been welcoming families and tourists for years,

• The Podere Badia farm stay, which offers hospitality and beauty to those seeking peace,

• The Alpacabrado alpaca farm, which has introduced our beloved alpacas to so many children

• La Tana dei Ghiri B&B, a cosy retreat for those who love the Mugello,

• And Il Belvedere, a corner of paradise where the view tells our story.

We have been left without water for our homes and for the animals. We have no roads, no work, no hope. But what keeps us united is our love for our land, our community spirit, and the knowledge that together we can rebuild. We need help, not just to repair a road or a pipe, but to breathe new life into a community that has always fought, worked and loved this land.

We cannot do this alone. We need a helping hand; we need your support. A spade and some boots are not enough; we need heavy machinery, building materials, water for our homes, for our animals and for our farms. We need hours of work with diggers, concrete, tarmac, gravel, stones… everything needed to get our future back on track.

We need to get the reconstruction machine up and running again.

We need time that we don’t have!

We are asking for your help – help that is not just financial, but human. Every small donation, every gesture of solidarity, every word of support is vital to us. We want to make it, but to do so we need you.

• Direct support: If you’d like to help in any other way, please get in touch.

WE WILL USE THE PROCEEDS FROM THE FUNDRAISER FOR SIMPLE THINGS SUCH AS:

STONES AND MATERIALS FOR THE ROAD

CONCRETE

ROAD SIGNS

REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT

FUEL AND DIESEL FOR THE WORK

Help us get back on our feet. Help us rebuild, not just the roads, but our lives too. Together, we can do it. Don’t leave us alone in this time of need. Every contribution, every gesture, can make a difference.

With hearts full of gratitude,

for whatever you can give to us.

All the people of Marzano