Trelawny Residents Benefit From Back-to-school Fair.

Speaking in an interview with JIS News, Custos Rotulorum of Trelawny, Hon. Hugh Gentles, hailed the initiative, describing it as a meaningful way to ease the financial burden associated with preparing children for the new school year.

Custos Gentles said the effort demonstrates the value of JPs mobilising to assist members of their communities.

“Back to school is a very expensive venture for families, and if [we] are able to mobilise and unite to give assistance to community members, that takes a huge burden off the families,” he said.

Chairman of the Falmouth Zone of the Trelawny JPs Association, Rev. Junior Rutty, said the initiative was the first of its kind for the zone and was motivated by a desire to serve communities beyond the traditional functions typically associated with JPs.

“A Justice of Peace is the person appointed to serve the public and to assist in maintaining good order. If you’re going to maintain good order, it starts from the grassroots,” he said.

“We understand the suffering each of our neighbours is going through, so we thought it would help to really ease the pain of what is happening,” he added.

Mr. Rutty said the organisers deliberately took the initiative to the more rural Wakefield area to reach a wider cross-section of residents, particularly amid the challenges families have been experiencing following the hurricane.

He said the response exceeded expectations, with more than 200 students attending, compared with the approximately 50 students the organisers initially planned to assist.

The initiative distributed over 200 back-to-school packages to students.

Among the beneficiaries was mother of four, Melanie Richards-Reed, whose twins are set to enter kindergarten in September.

Mrs. Richards-Reed said the school supplies helped to reduce the amount she and her husband would have to spend preparing their four children for school.

“I have four kids going back to school … that can lessen the burden for me and their father,” she said, noting that her husband is currently the only person working in the household, making the assistance particularly valuable.

Another parent, Danielle Sheriffe, whose child is preparing to enter Grade One in September, said the medical services were particularly useful because of the difficulty she faces finding time to attend regular clinic appointments.

She also welcomed the presence of agencies that provided information and services beyond the immediate back-to-school assistance.

“I realised that they were going to have persons from the NIS (National Insurance Scheme) office, persons from HEART, and a lot of things … that not only benefit my child, but also benefit me,” Ms. Sheriffe said.

She said the event also allowed her to learn more about the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH), which her family may pursue, and suggested that dental services be included in future initiatives.

Rev. Rutty expressed gratitude to all JPs and the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) who worked together to make the back-to-school initiative possible.

He noted that the strong response has motivated the organisers to expand the initiative and rework plans to accommodate more families in the future.