Kingston, Jamaica : Bringing joy to Trench Town Community...projects get much-needed support from British Airways, UK charity

Monday, October 13, 2014    

A A social intervention programme in Trench Town, being organised by the Joytown Community Development Foundation, is to get financial support from the UK charity Comic Relief, through which passengers and 40,000 employees of British Airways have donated nearly

nine million sterling pounds for projects across the world.

Major Richard Cooke (left), president of Joytown Community
 Development Foundation, takes Frank Van der Post managing
director for Brands and Marketing at British Airways, on
a tour of Trench Town. Also on the tour were executives of
 British Airways and Comic Relief, the UK charity which
has given financial support to social intervention
programmes in Trench Town.

Managing director for Brands and Marketing at the UK-based British Airways Frank Van der Post said it was encouraging to see the work being done in Trench Town by Major Richard Cooke, president of Joytown Community Development Foundation and his team.

"It became obvious to us today how important these kinds of initiatives are, especially those aimed at youth empowerment in communities such as Trench Town," said Van der Post, who was among a group of the airline's executives who toured sections of Trench Town, last Thursday

"We are pleased that in addition to providing special programmes for youngsters who need intervention, the parents are also being guided in ways to encourage their children to be the best they can be," he noted.

Van der Post explained that the funds donated have come from contributions made by British Airways passengers on each flight and fund-raisers put on by the thousands of staff of the airline, all of which is given to Comic Relief, which identifies needs around the globe.

This is the first time that a contingent of executives at British Airways was viewing a project in Jamaica and the first time that Van der Post was visiting the island. more