Yet again the Barbados Cultural Organisation (BCO) are staging another fun filled cricketing event for the entire family.
The idea for the organisation that was to become today’s Barbados Cultural Organisation was the brainchild of Jessica Parris, an employee of the Barbados High Commission, back in 2000.
Jessica wanted to “do something for the children in Barbados”, so she recruited the assistance of colleagues from the High Commission and the Barbados Tourism Authority, and a few others from the Barbadian Community here in the UK, and set about planning a Cricket Match and formal black tie Ball.
That first attempt was so successful that, what was at first a ‘one-off’ event became an annual event and so was born the Barbados Cultural Organisation and the forerunner of today’s hugely successful organisation.
These two events are still the main fund-raisers for the Organisation. We see the events as two-fold — as well as fund-raising, these events are a great opportunity for companies and individuals in the UK, with an interest in Barbados, to interact with the Barbadian Community; as well as providing excellent networking opportunities and for companies to showcase and exhibit products and promote services.
It is also a time when Barbadians from across the UK get together to renew acquaintances and to meet new friends.
The Organisation has raised in excess of £60,000, which has been donated to various organisations and groups in Barbados, including:
The Neuro-surgical intensive care unit of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital
The Heart Foundation
The Breast Cancer Association
The Kidney Association
Olga Lope-Seale’s Needy Children’s Fund
The Elroy Phillips HIV/AIDS Rehabilitation Centre; as well as
The Child Care Board
The St Cyprian’s School
The St. Stephens Primary School
As well as providing financial assistance to organisations, we also source and provide equipment if requested by an organisation, as was the case of the St Cyprian’s School, who were displaced by the collapse of a building in Brittons Hill, and lost most of their equipment.
We were able to assist with providing 3 laptops to help in their rebuilding and refurbishing efforts .
For 2013, the Cricket Extravaganza will be held on 7 July at Blagdons Cricket Club, Beverley Way, New Malden, Surrey. For more details click Cricket-2013
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