In remote areas of Nepal, where a 50kg bag of cement costs as much as 10 days’ labour, the favoured method of construction is two layers of dry stone walls with a core of mud, cow dung and rubble to keep the wind out, but there are no bonding stones tying the two layers together.

It was not much to withstand the tremours of a force 7.8 earthquake that hit the region in April killing more than 1,000. And when a second hit in May many of the already weakened structures collapsed and dozens more people died.

It might seem like a remote problem, but it moved Adrian Paye of Paye Stonework & Restoration and Bobby Singh of Russell’s Trade & DIY. Both of them responded by going to Nepal and helping out on the ground in practical ways. And Bobby now wants to return with £50,000 to provide temporary shelter for those made homeless by the quakes. You can contribute at www.WeAreOneNepal.org.

You can read their stories on the attached PDF.