BARBADOS’ FUTURE sporting champions could be children from the Bright Water Kids Foundation, thanks to $15 000 in water sports equipment from the Sandy Lane Charitable Trust.
The children who benefited from the recent donation of paddle boards, paddles, body boards, life jackets and snorkel gear were from two Child Care Board homes – Nightingale and Sayes Court.
The directors of the Bright Water Kids Foundation, which exposes underprivileged children to water sports activities, expressed their gratitude at a Press conference held at Pebbles Beach, St Michael, on Saturday.
Director Jason Cole said the donation was a great way to celebrate the first anniversary of the foundation, whose aim was to empower children through ocean-based programmes.
He noted that Bright Water Kids was committed to helping children reach their full potential, and hoped to expand the foundation that currently caters to 15 children – nine from children’s homes and six in special needs. He added they planned to start after-school activities.
Another director, Bobbie Freeman, said the programme allowed children to have fun, as access to the beach was something they were unaccustomed to.
“As we get better and better and with more equipment and volunteers, we may be able to move up to 20 children comfortably in the right environment. And it does depend on the help that we get from our community as well,” Cole said.
“We really have potential to make champions here. In fact, with the paddle boarding especially . . . every year we look to send people overseas to represent Barbados at the world games and so far we’ve had no one Under-40 representing us so this is an opportunity to really make champions for the island.”
Trustee of the Sandy Lane Charitable Trust, Julian Sacher, said another of the Trust’s projects was to donate funds to the Thelma Vaughan Memorial Home to facilitate the construction of a new building this year.
He noted that in the last 12 years, they had donated $30 million to assist various local charities as well as with initiatives such as health care and Crimestoppers. (LT)