Children in the six public schools, and the two campuses of the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School, will now be safer with the training of teachers and custodians, and the provision of First Aid Kits and guide posters for use in the schools. Up to fifty teachers, counsellors and other persons have been trained in first aid services.
Funds, totalling US $4,500 to finance the above undertaking, were donated by Scotiabank to the Anguilla Red Cross in June this year under the bank’s Bright Future project. There was a handing-over ceremony on Tuesday this week, at which the kits and posters were presented to the Education Department.
Scotia’s Managing Director, Mrs Pamela Herbert-Daniel, said Scotiabank Anguilla Limited was pleased to handover ten First Aid Kits to the Education Department, thus signalling the completion of the training.
“Scotia Bank’s Bright Future Programme has acknowledged the importance of health and safety and in particular first aid,” she stated. According to her, first aid can make a significant difference to the safety of staff and pupils of the schools.
The Managing Director expressed thanks to Mr Ricky Rouphine, of the Anguilla Red Cross, for providing the necessary training, and Mr Alwyn Richardson, Programme Officer, Mitigation, of the Department of Disaster Management, for coordinating the programme.
Mr Valdez Johnson, Scotia Bank’s Bright Future Coordinator, observed that it was part of the bank’s “philanthropic duty to engage in activities such as these for our communities and our youth, as it is productive and will also enlighten their lives”. He encouraged all persons to go on online to see some of the work done by Scotia Bank on an international basis. “If you are interested in the programme, and have an initiative you would like to present, please contact me for additional information,” he added.
Mrs Dawn Reid, Education Planning Services, said in part: “We are extremely delighted that Scotiabank Anguilla has come to our assistance through the Scotia Bright Future 2014 Project. Earlier on, we would have had a number of persons trained in basic first aid – quite a necessity in any educational environment. Today, in the final phase of the project, ten First Aid Kits are being presented to the Education Department for placement in the public schools.
“We are indeed grateful to Scotia Bank for this gesture, as it shows true commitment to this cause, as not only was training provided, but also the necessary resources to ensure that our children can be properly taken care of as far as possible, in the event of some unforeseen circumstances. This ensures that teachers are properly equipped to act appropriately in situations where quick first response can make the difference in a child’s life. This gesture is highly commendable and we are indeed grateful.”
