Hydrate Barbados unveils 25th water station

The milestone 25th Hydrate Station was unveiled at the Coleridge & Parry School on Tuesday. 

At the beginning of 2024, Newport rebranded the Hydrate Barbados Programme to Hydrate Caribbean, with the focus this year being solely on expanding the network of water stations and hydrating communities. Great Pacific Trust sponsored this station at the Coleridge & Parry School, a partnership which is being facilitated by the Diabetes Foundation. 

The unveiling was not only the first Hydrate Caribbean installation of the year since rebranding, but also the first of three stations that Great Pacific will be sponsoring in schools.

“Great Pacific has partnered with the Diabetes Foundation and with Newport on the island to provide this water station for two reasons: Diabetes is a real issue in Barbados, and we want to help to be part of a solution. And we believe that by getting young people in the habit of drinking water and not sugary drinks, that sets them on the right path to adulthood,” shared President of the Great Pacific Trust Colin Mitchell.

“The other part that we really like about this station is that it allows people to use refillable water bottles and we’re not just tossing away plastic bottles every time we have to drink because of environmental concerns and landfill concerns here on the island. We are really happy that this is in place now and we want to continue working with Newport and the Diabetes Foundation to spread more of these around the island.”

Echoing his concerns about tackling diabetes at a young age was Assistant Manager at the Diabetes Foundation Jenniel Mottley.

“Our students are indeed our future, and at the centre our efforts are not limited to the care of people living with diabetes, but to also offer solutions to reduce the incidence of diabetes in our people.

“As you are all aware, there is an ongoing campaign to reduce the use of sugary drinks in our population and we hope that this small step – the provision of water stations will further enhance this campaign. We are hopeful that the change required in our basic healthy habits starts here today with you, our future, and that you will teach your parents the health benefits and financial savings that will be derived from this simple change,” Mottley continued.

Principal of the Coleridge & Parry School Sonja Goodridge highlighted that at the school, water was the biggest seller and even though the water station might take away from those sales, it meant more children would be hydrated and at no cost to them or their parents.

“We are extremely pleased here at the Coleridge & Parry School to have been gifted this water station. I’m sure that it will help to keep our students hydrated. We are an active school – the students are always running around and playing – and definitely, in this time when outside is extremely hot, we are happy to know that our students can be hydrated. A lot of students drink water all day, every day,” Goodridge said.

Also at the unveiling was Manager/Treasurer of the Diabetes Foundation Dwight Edghill.

“When we find ourselves immersed and dealing with younger people, it cannot be something that is dictated to them, but it has to be an option that they can appreciate,” he said. “And we are hoping that this programme, too, makes our young people reach out to their parents and say, ‘I don’t need money now to buy drinks, I am quietly confident that I have water at the school’. And one of the things that we recognise is that the water has to be cold.”

With the successful rebranding to Hydrate Caribbean, Newport is aiming to see a mass rolling out of water stations across schools this year. With a new crowdfunding aspect introduced, parents, members of society and any business no matter the size or revenue can now contribute small amounts towards the full sponsorship of a station at a school. 

(PR)