Credit union supports initiative at Ellerton Primary

The BWU Co-operative Credit Union Limited (BWUCCUL) recently made a donation to the Ellerton Primary School towards the refurbishment of their shade house.

This was a critical component of the school’s effort to build agricultural skills and knowledge amongst their students and promote local food security.

The donation of $1,000 was made as part of the credit union’s WE CARE outreach programme.

This initiative was created to give financial support to BWUCCU members in need, as well as provide grants to local charitable and beneficial ventures, whose projects focus on youth, sports, culture, heritage, the environment, or generally improve communities.

In July 2021, Hurricane Elsa destroyed the rural St. George school’s shade house. This structure had served both the 4-H Club and the school at large.

Students received at least one lesson per week, focused on the care and management of crops being grown, which included cabbage, lettuce, beans, beets, and a variety of herbs. Additionally, students conducted experiments to explore scientific topics like germination.

The shade house is closely linked with the success that the school’s 4-H Club and wider student body have enjoyed over the years. Ellerton Primary has been in the winner’s row of the Grow Well! Eat Well! Live Well! School Gardening and Picture Board Competition, the Agrofest School’s Kitchen Garden Competition, the NIFCA Culinary Arts Competition and the Future Centre Trust Eco-Art Competition.

Principal of the school, Andrew Haynes, underscored the significance of the shade house to school activities.

“It played a big role in helping us diversify our curriculum and better cater to the varied needs and learning styles of our student population. Understandably, everyone is eager to have it rebuilt.”

Teacher and leader of the 4-H Club, Lisa Greenidge, who is also a member of the Barbados 4-H Foundation, explained, “I came across the WE CARE initiative on social media and applied for assistance with our shade house rebuilding project.

The BWU Co-operative Credit Union Limited was one of the first donors to come on board. This donation helps to not only rebuild the shade house, but it also allows us to execute on the 4–H tenets of entrepreneurship, food sustainability and agro-diversity.”

In commenting on the credit union’s involvement in the rebuilding of the shade house, Marketing Manager Valerie Hope said: “At the BWU Credit Union, our goal is to support both our members and the communities in which they live. Also, one of our key strategic intents is to become a green-centric Credit Union and support more sustainable lifestyles.

Agriculture and food security are key elements of successful sustainability, and we are pleased that our donation towards rebuilding Ellerton Primary’s shade house, will support the development of agricultural and science skills in our younger generation, which can only serve to benefit the surrounding community and hopefully the country on a whole in the near future.” (PR)