Help from London for Mt. Airy cemetery

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Parent Category: Aug 2011

Category: Week ending Aug 20th, 2011

Published on Sunday, 28 August 2011 18:17

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A London-based organisation comprised mainly of Grenadians on Wednesday handed over a “Summer House” to the Ministry of Health at Mt. Airy, St. Paul’s to be used as a shelter from rain for persons attending burial functions.

The group known as, “The League of Friends (UK) Grenada, is headed by Kester Worme, a Grenadian who migrated to the UK about 44 years ago. Worme and another member of the League, Jeffrey Gellineau visited the office of THE NEW TODAY newspaper on Monday to highlight some of the activities they have undertaken in recent years in terms of giving help to their homeland.

“We have been on the go for the better part of 21 years doing charity work mainly for Grenada”, said Worme. He disclosed that the idea of building the “Summer House” at Mt. Airy came about after he made one of his regular visits to the island and attended the burial of someone at the cemetery. He said that he left the area soaking in water since there was no place to shelter from the heavy rainfall.

According to Worme, on return to London, he told the other members of the group of his experience at a meeting and it was then decided there and then to help out the situation by raising funds to build the house for shelter for persons attending funerals.

He said that Grenada’s High Commissioner to London, Ruth Rouse was informed about the decision and immediately agreed to approach the Ministry of Health, the government agency responsible for burial sites, to try and get the “green light” for the small project. He said the house was built at a cost of EC$16, 500.00 with the contractor being Jerome Primus of Windsor Forest, St. David’s.

Worme spoke of the League giving financial assistance over the years to several local organisations such as the Grenada National Kidney Foundation, NEWLO, St. Vincent de Paul Society, La Borie Pre-primary School, Springs Child Development and the St. Paul’s Anglican Church.

He said that group members often engage in several fund-raising activities in  London such as dances, quiz night, Christmas dinners, sponsored walks and coach trips to the seaside in England. “We are really a small concern but as soon as we make some money, this money is sent back home to help any worthwhile cause”, he remarked.

He disclosed that the organization often gets requests from people in Grenada for help but before any funds are sent, they will do a background check on the recipients, using knowledgeable persons on the ground to make sure that the cause is a worthy one for support.

Apart from Worme, the other members of the group are Agnes George of Grenville (Secretary), Geoffrey Gellineau of La Borie (Treasurer), Curtis Andrew of La Borie (Entertainment Committee), Pearl Jarvis of La Borie, Thomas and Cyprian Griffith of Belmont, St. George’s, Joan Parke and Lorna Charles Taylor of La Borie, as well as Jane Roberts of the Fence in Happy Hill. There is also one Irish man, Frank Wood who serves as the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the League.

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