Members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society with PM Spencer and Mrs. Roberts View photos»

Prime Minister the Hon. Baldwin Spencer recently made a presentation of a cheque for two thousand pound sterling to the Good Shepherd Home for Children on behalf of the Chairman of BMI Sir Michael Bishop.

During the presentation ceremony to Mrs. Mary-Rose Knight of the institution, Prime Minister Spencer said that the funds were donated by Sir Michael during a cricket match at Bowdon cricket Club in Cheshire England organized by the Antigua and Barbuda High Commission in London as part of Cricket Week.

The initiative was developed to promote the island's involvement and on-island developments for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 and included Sir Vivian Richards, Richie Richardson, Curtly Ambrose, Sir Clive Lloyd, some of the current players for the national team; Wilden Cornwall, Carl Simon and Gavin Tonge as well as the Lashings World XI team, which reads like a who's who of great cricketing legends.

Prime Minister Spencer said that he was pleased to present the donation to the Good Shepherd Home because the Home is imperative to the country in providing shelter and care to those children who are without parental guidance or support and those subjected to abuse or abandonment.

“Donations such as this are crucial in making sure that the children receive education, counseling and the life skills they need to reach their potential in adulthood and society,” he said.

Prime Minister Spencer also thanked the employees of the Good Shepherd Home for Children for their hard work and perseverance in providing excellent service for the children of Antigua & Barbuda. “We hope that people continue to donate to this much needed resource well into the future. Once again my sincerest appreciation is extended to Sir Michael for his generous contribution to this institution and to the people of our beloved nation,” Prime Minister Spencer concluded.

Bishop Donald Reece of the Roman Catholic Church, which manages the institution, said that since 1984, the Home has created a safe, family-style environment, a significant improvement on the traditional institutional care homes of the past.

“The St. Vincent de Paul Society which oversees the running of the Home is concerned with the up liftment of people and imparting values so that they can live out lives to be good citizens and Christians and we are presently seeking ways and means to expand the Good Shepherd Home which is currently bursting at the seams and so this donation is very timely indeed,” noted Bishop Reece.

“We are very happy that Sir Michael Bishop is able to extend his munificence all the way down here to Antigua and we are happy that he saw it fit to designate the Good Shepherd Home for that purpose,” he said.

Also attending the presentation ceremony was the wife of the Antigua and Barbuda High Commissioner in London Mrs. Roberts, Mr. Lenny Coupel of the St.Vincent de Paul Society and Sister Anne of the Carmelite Sisters. (Ends)