I head to Montserrat to find out about the Soufriere Hills Volcano, the devastation it caused on the island and how that impacted the local community and tourism. I learn about the resilience of the people and how they picked themselves up and continue to create a warm atmosphere on the island, making it the perfect wedding location filled with empty beaches.

Coming here for my best friend’s wedding, Gemma Watts, who had family living here for quite some time, Colette and Tony, allowed me to delve a little deeper into the island and experience it from both the perspective as a tourist, but also as a member of the small Montserrat community.

I spoke to Gemma Watts about her education as a geologist at University studying Montserrat prior to visiting, David from Hill Top Cafe and how his cafe is an important centre of the community, John from People’s Place highlighting the warmth of the locals that live there and the Volcano Observatory and the scientific process of measuring the volcano.