RBC Royal Bank hosts a fusion of Music, Art and Fashion at UWI

Music, Art and Fashion united on Saturday night and the result was sweet and memorable.

The occasion was an evening of entertainment hosted by RBC Royal Bank and the Cave Hill Campus of the UWI, which coincided with efforts to raise funds for scholarships for university students.

The top floor of the 3Ws Pavilion was beautifully transformed and attendees enjoyed an evening of fine wines and other refreshments, as well as an impressive display of the works of several of the island’s best known artists and attractive designs of European and African fashion from the Congo.

Models, mainly students and staff, showcased European designs created by Deborah Cummins of the Grudge Mode Boutique and vibrant East African designs by Marie Mabana. Among the fine artists putting their work on display were – Neville “Oluyemi” Legall, Rodney Ifill, Omawale Stewart, Allison Johnson, Zoanne Evans, Rodney Ifill and Jason Hope.

In between, young and talented jazz musicians, of the Mylon Clarke Project, serenaded the audience before emerging singer Adela, a student of the Barbados Community College, captivated them with a range of popular numbers.

She first gripped the audience with a stunning rendition of Etta James’ “At Last”, which exhibited her impressive vocal range, and later got them involved with select calypso and reggae numbers.

Several educators and others supportive of efforts to assist students in difficult economic times were among those attending the evening of music, art and fashion.Among them was Mary Redman, President of the Barbados Secondary Teachers Union (BSTU), who lauded the partnership between RBC and the UWI. “Raising funds to assist students is a very worthwhile gesture, given that they now have to pay for tertiary education which was previously free,” she said.

Redman further praised the evening event as “an excellent combination of entertainment and art”.

Last Saturday’s evening of elegance and art served as a precursor to the main fund-raising event – The RBC Race For The Kids – which will be staged on Sunday (March 11) at 4 pm.

This 5k run/walk, now in its second year, is an event for the whole family and will start at the Cave Hill campus , and take participants over a route that turns at Lodge Hill before finishing back at the campus.

Again this year, funds raised will go the Cave Hill Scholarship Fund and organisers are hoping to surpass the $63 000 which was raised in 2017.

Last year’s funds allowed the UWI to offer six new scholarships, while another $20 000 was channeled towards a mentorship programme for first year students.