WIBISCO, Newport promoting healthier alternative

Harrison College is the second school to receive a Wibisco-sponsored water station, part of the Newport Water’s Hydrate Programme.

Following installation of a water station at Wesley Hall Primary on Tuesday, the company was on the scene the following day installing another Hydrate Barbados water station at the Crumpton Street,
St Michael school.

Wibisco chose two schools which are near and dear to them, but said they look forward to doing more to give back and encourage health and wellness in the community. Newport Water was happy to facilitate the hand over to the secondary school, and even more excited to mark their 15th station as sponsored.

Even with setbacks due to the recent halt in face-to-face instruction, potential sponsors were waiting for the opportunity to provide the students with a healthier alternative during their time at school.

The presence of a soft-drink machine right next to the Hydrate Barbados station, however, was indicative that the programme still has a lot of work to do to facilitate change. Encouraging protection of the environment by reducing plastic waste is just one of the goals Newport and Wibisco are trying to achieve.

Pressing home the importance of wise lifestyle choices to the younger generation is a tougher slope to climb, as they are still at the age where they feel invincible and focus more on enjoying their meals and beverages, rather than thinking about the possible long-term side effects.

With the students at Harrison College now having easy access to cold or room temperature water from a safe source, Wibisco has taken the guesswork out of figuring out where the pupils could obtain a sip of clean, purified water on a hot day. They’ve also given them a no-brainer alternative of a free, refreshing beverage over a paid, sugar-laden one.

Even though the school term is coming to an end soon, the water station will be maintained and ready for the students and staff at Harrison College to utilise on their return.

The Hydrate Barbados programme is heading quickly for 500,000 bottle fills, and no doubt, with this new addition those numbers will keep steadily increasing.

More and more the efforts are gaining visibility and being recognised by the public, and with each station installed the messaging of bringing Barbados closer to a plastic-free country, whose inhabitants are no longer suffering from such high incidences of non-communicable diseases, is being spread.

Juanita Wade, principal of Harrison College, said: “I’m really very happy for this opportunity. Obviously we have pushed for a healthier Barbados, and of course water is life, and is a big part of that healthy student we want to produce.  We are very happy to be a part of Hydrate Barbados and now every student and member of staff will be able to access the water.”

Laura Stanton, marketing officer at Wibisco, added: “We at Wibisco are so happy and pleased to partner with Hydrate Barbados. We decided to start with Harrison College and Wesley Hall because you can’t say you care about your neighbours and you don’t help them out.” (PR)