One of the sterling examples of good corporate citizenry has been shown by the quietly operating Craft Group in Anguilla. The all-women group has contributed significantly to the saving of young lives at birth, at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, by donating US$16,000 for a brand new incubator.
Speaking at a brief ceremony on Monday, November 12, Chairperson of the group,Mrs. Lindsay Lawrence, said the organisation had been operating since in 1989. “What we do is create different crafts. We usually have a sale twice a year and give objects to certain places preferably where all persons would benefit,” she explained on behalf of the group.
Mrs. Lawrence said that some of the past donations were made to the senior citizens homes for a variety of equipment there. She disclosed that so far the main money-earners had been the group’s cook books which were now being sold throughout the island. “These books have been a God-send because we have been able to raise a lot more money from them, and we decided to help the hospital with an incubator,” she stated. “It has cost us $16,000 and we are grateful to all those who worked with us, and I hope that it will benefit many other people.” She acknowledged, in particular, the contribution of Haskins Ltd which donated the shipping cost.
Mrs. Lawrence’s co-chairperson, Erleen Nobb, joined her in explaining the work of the Craft Group. Mrs. Nobb said that a lot of the money raised was used for donations to charity, and indicated that this was both a pleasure and a privilege for the membership of the group.
Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Health Authority of Anguilla, Ralph Hodge, said: “We are very grateful to the Craft Group. Sixteen thousand US dollars is a lot of money. We are the only 24-hour health institution on the island and providing an incubator is very good news. It has to do with the early stages of life, and I think Dr. Singh will be very impressed – and the incubator will help her in carrying out her work and the Health Authority in general.”
Mr. Hodge commended the Craft Group for its contributions to the senior citizens homes which he said the Health Authority cherished very much. “We are in urgent need of quite a lot of equipment at this organisation,” he continued. “One would be surprised to know that in a modern day and age, we are existing here with some of the equipment that came over from the Cottage Hospital many, many years ago. That is something I am certain that the Health Authority and Government in general have to look at because we are in the business of actually saving and stimulating life from birth.”
Paediatrician,Dr. Indira Singh, said the incubator was being used regularly to provide warmth for premature and other infants needing a boost for body temperature. “The incubator that went down was from the [old] Cottage Hospital,” she told reporters. “We are grateful to the Craft Group for the new incubator because we’ve been having regular premature infants recently – so the equipment is definitely well-needed and has been well-used.”
