Canadian Women’s Club continues to assist

Several charities and institutions working with the elderly, women and children have received funding from the Canadian Women’s Club of Barbados to assist with their efforts.

The Club’s long history of giving back continued during their Annual Charity Disbursement Meeting held at the Barbados Diabetes Foundation, Warrens, St Michael yesterday.

Approximately $90 000 raised from a golf tournament last year at Royal Westmoreland was presented to the 16 beneficiaries, which included the Barbados Council for the Disabled; Barbados Diabetes Foundation; Barbados Burns & Orthotics; HIV Food Bank; Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) Department of Paediatrics; Nature Fun Ranch; Cancer Support Services; BPW Shelter for Abused Women; and The Learning Centre.

Her Excellency, Marie Legault, Canadian High Commissioner to Barbados & Eastern Caribbean, commended the work of the Canadian Women’s Club, which will celebrate 100 years of service in 2022.

Formed in 1922, the Club is the oldest and largest International Women’s Club in Barbados with over 120 members.

Over the past few years it has contributed to a wide range of Barbadian causes, ranging from health care, education, poverty relief, and care for the young or aged. Their stated objectives are to bring Canadian women together in a spirit of loyalty, friendship and helpfulness and of participating in, and providing support for, community service projects in Barbados.

“I am very happy to see that the Canadian Women’s Club has been an important part of the community in Barbados… I am happy to be part of what this Club does and to participate in some events, and I would really enjoy the High Commission to be even closer in terms of the Canadian Women’s Club supporting also Canada’s Foreign Policy because you are an important part,” she expressed.

The appreciative beneficiaries gave members of the Canadian Women’s Club of Barbados not only a glimpse into their operations but also revealed future plans being made possible through the donated funds.

Dr Angela Jennings, the new Head of Paediatrics at the QEH shared that this year’s donation will be used to purchase two paediatric monitors.

“The Paediatrics Department has had a long-standing relationship with the Canadian Women’s Club and we cannot understate the value of this relationship. We are cognisant that there are many persons in need of assistance in this island and we are honoured in the Paediatric unit that we are among those selected.”

In addition, Consultant Paediatrician at the QEH, Dr Clyde Cave revealed to the Canadian Women’s Club that their logo will soon be placed outside the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) on the wall of significant and long-standing donors.

“We are really grateful to you not just for the equipment and the other tangible things that we use to care for the baby, but also for your personal attention and devotion,” he said.

“Our hospital has come a long way to it being accredited by Accreditation Canada to the Gold Standard which we are very pleased about – there is a lot of work to be done. But, in their assessment one of the things that was not highlighted was the equipment that we have in our Newborn Intensive Care Unit. It is a very expensive undertaking beyond the reach of many Caribbean governments; probably including our own, and we have only managed it through the donations of people like yourselves who have stepped up.” (TL)