Monthly Archives: February 2020

Alethia Peart (second right), business relationship and sales manager for Mandeville presents donation cheque to Wendy Freckleton (second left), chairman of the Centre. Sharing in the moment are (from left) His Excellency Anton Ojala, New Zealand High Commissioner to Jamaica: Donovan Lennox (partially hidden), secretary of Candle in the Dark Ministries; Venessa Dillion-Hendricks, JN client relations officer; Dr. Bridgette Barrett, local coordinator New Zealand Embassy Fund and Garfield Green, Custos of Manchester.

Registered charity organisation, Candle in the Dark Care Centre, which caters to the needs of the homeless in Mandeville, Manchester and its surrounding environs, had its infrastructural capacity expanded, courtesy of the JN Bank Member Advisory Council (MAC).

Chairman of the Centre, Wendy Freckleton, said assistance was also provided by JN Fund Managers and JN Small Business Loans, member companies of The Jamaica National Group, as well as other organisations. This, she said, has allowed the charity to complete construction of the upper level of the shelter’s existing structure, which will provide a temporary dormitory during the rehabilitation of the homeless men and women who have been victims of abuse.

“Their contribution was able helped to construct the shelter, which is now almost completed,” she informed, noting that it has also been tiled and doors and rails to the shelter installed.

At the Candle in the Dark Care Centre, two meals per day are delivered to over 50 clients between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. These persons include drug addicts, ex-convicts, the mentally challenged, the poor and the destitute.

In addition, they enjoy separate bathing facilities and are provided with a change of clothing and footwear, wherever possible. During the meals, the clients are ministered to spiritually, emotionally and mentally.

“What we are doing at Candle in the Dark Care Centre is take care of the poor, indigent and the homeless. We have fortunate to have the facility where we can serve the poor and destitute of the community,” she said.

Alethia Peart, business relationship and sales manager for Mandeville, said that JN Bank and its member companies were happy to assist the organisation.

“The Candle in the Dark Care Centre should be commended for the work it has been doing over the years in assisting the homeless. The Jamaica National Group is proud to have assisted in expanding the structure of facility. There is no doubt that it will be beneficial to the homeless,” she said.

Candle in the Dark is an organisation which was started 25 years ago by Dr Arthur Reid and his late wife, Jennifer. As ministers of religion, spiritual and emotional sustenance were included as a hallmark of the service to the homeless.

Since 2004, they have cemented the organisation’s home at Caledonia Road with a building provided by Kiwanis International after a 49-year lease-deal made with the National Land Agency.

 Students from Hague Primary and Infant School show off the instruments.

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” – Plato, Athenian philosopher.

That was the intention of Dameian Elvin, principal of the Hague Primary and Infant School, when he solicited the assistance of the JN Bank Member Advisory Council (MAC) to procure musical instruments for the school, which is located in Falmouth, Trelawny.

“We are located in a diverse community, hence, we have children from informal settlements and the middle class. Therefore, we believe that music would be the ultimate instrument to bridge that divide. By bringing the children into one space and showing them that life is limitless, in terms of the opportunities that music offers,” he related.

Mr Elvin said the gift was timely, as, over the past three years, his staff members have been exploring how they can improve the contributions to inspire the children, and music was one of the suggestions which emerged.

“We decided that we would go out on a limb, to determine how best we could impact the lives of our children and change their outlook in terms of music,” he said.

The principal said he was happy when JN Bank came on board and assisted the school with the initiative. The school received guitars, drums, and a xylophone, and various other instruments.

The students were ecstatic about the instruments, Mr Elvin related and he is hopeful that this intervention will assist to change their mind-set.

“Once they begin to tap into music, it is as if they will automatically begin to think and act differently; hence, we believe that this is an opportunity to touch the lives of these children,” he said.

Established in 2005, the institution has been holding its own, in terms of academics and the performing arts; and last year, was the national champion of the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica’s Jingle Competition.

With a school population of 1,090, Hague Primary and Infant School serves the communities of Rock, Falmouth, Zion, Martha Brae and other surrounding areas.

Nina Peters, business relationship and sales manager for JN Bank Catherine Hall and Falmouth branches, said the JN Bank MAC was happy to partner with the institution.

“The Member Advisory Council, which transitioned into the JN Circle, donated musical instruments to Hague Primary and Infant School. That was indeed a feel-good moment for us here in Falmouth. Already, we are seeing success emerging from our donation to the school and the community at large; and it is our hope that music will continue to have a positive influence on their future,” she said.

The JN Bank MAC, formerly known as the “Branch Advisory Councils,” were established in 2006, to provide JN members with the opportunity to engage directly in the identification and selection of projects, to positively impact negative issues in the communities where they are located.

Over the years, the MACs implemented numerous projects in communities across the country. Today, with the establishment of the JN Circle, the activities of the MAC will be subsumed into the JN Circle, a national network of service clubs. These clubs are empowered by Jamaica National to advocate for change and strengthen the communities in which its bank and other JN corporate entities operate.

Teachers and representatives of the JN Bank Member Advisory Council watch students enjoy the swing during play time at the school.

Bright, broad smiles and peals of laughter emanated from the students of the St. Elizabeth Early Childhood Education and Therapeutic Centre in Santa Cruz, St Elizabeth, as they enjoyed play time in a new therapeutic play area, which was constructed courtesy of the JN Bank Member Advisory Council (MAC), in Santa Cruz.

The play area, outfitted with a monkey bar, slide, seesaw and a swing, was officially handed over to the centre on February 4. The centre caters to children with disabilities, therefore, the play area enables the youngsters to develop a higher level of interaction, through structured play, in a safe and secure environment.

Madge Sanderson, centre manager of the institution, in expressing her appreciation for the gift, underscored that the play area was important, as it facilitates the development of the children.

“We were not able to have our children playing as we would want them to, as play for them is therapy. Therefore, now that we have these equipment, they will help them in their development, balance and cognition, as well as, to build their muscles,” she said.

The centre caters to 20 students with disabilities, such as: cerebral palsy, intellectual challenges, speech defects, autism, microcephaly (a medical condition where the child is born with a small head); and hydrocephalus (a medical defect where the child is born with a large head). In addition, there are 60 additional students who benefit from home visits.

Lorna Sinclair, business relationship and sales manager for St Elizabeth at JN Bank said that due to financial challenges experienced by the institution and the need to assist students with disabilities, JN Bank MAC decided to help.

“When we visited the school, we recognised that there was a need. Yes, the students do have disabilities, however, we do not want them to be cloaked up inside every day, all day long. They needed to be outside playing and enjoying the sunlight. With the new play area, now they are more active,” she informed.

Mrs Sinclair stated that the financial institution also engaged community members, not only through the provision of financial services, but also by investing and building the communities and having an enabling presence in the communities.

Children between the ages of one to 16 years are enrolled at the centre and they are from the communities of Santa Cruz, Burnt Savanna; Knoxwood, Pepper, Goshen Middle Quarters, Waterloo Community and New Market.

Established in 2006, the centre initially started doing home visits to children who resided in nearby communities, who were physically challenged. Ms Sanderson informed that this approach to therapy was not productive, therefore, the administration recognised that more contact time was needed with the youngsters.

Eventually, a school offered services for three days per week and since November last year, it has been operating five days per week due to additional funding.

The JN Bank MAC, formerly known as the “Branch Advisory Councils,” were established in 2006, to provide JN members with the opportunity to engage directly in the identification and selection of projects to positively impact negative issues in their communities.

Over the years, the MACs have implemented numerous worthy projects in communities across the country. With the establishment of the JN Circle, the activities of the MAC will now be subsumed into the JN Circle, a national network of service clubs. The new entities are empowered by The Jamaica National Group to advocate for change and strengthen the communities in which its bank and other JN corporate entities are located.