Rose Town deeply appreciative of King Charles III’s investment
Published:Thursday | May 4, 2023 | 1:04 AMJudana Murphy/Gleaner Writer
AHEAD OF the coronation of King Charles III on Saturday, residents of Rose Town in Kingston have expressed deep appreciation for his continued investment in the development of their community.
Althea Ramsay has resided in Rose Town for more than three decades and recalled the visit of then Prince Charles in 2001.
“I was so elated to see this blue-eyed, straight nose man because as a child I always wondered why people’s eyes were blue. Him wanting to help us was a thumbs up for me because people tend to forget the inner city and the less fortunate. I will be watching his coronation on Saturday because I’ve been watching him from Princess Diana,” she said.
Executive director of the Rose Town Foundation for the Built Environment, Ruth Jankee, told The Gleaner that Charles III was very impressed with the work being done by residents to rebuild the community.
“That inspired him to support Rose Town through his foundation. The initial support did not achieve what he had hoped, so when he came back a couple years later, he recommended the establishment of the Rose Town Foundation,” she recalled.
The Prince’s Foundation for Building Community (PFBC) is a United Kingdom-based charity which began working with residents in 2004 and in 2010, the Rose Town Foundation was established to work with the community to deliver development projects.
UNITE COMMUNITY
Their first major project with The Prince’s Foundation was the reopening of Harris Street and installation of water and sewerage mains, to unite the divided community.
Jankee was unable to state the value of Charles III’s investment, but noted that his foundation has provided significant commitment over the years in both technical and financial terms, and supported operational costs during the COVID-19 pandemic when the foundation was challenged with raising funds through grants.
The Prince’s Foundation also helped Rose Town to secure international funding from the Canadian government, to renovate Rollins Enterprise Centre.
Jankee explained that Rose Town has a population of approximately 4,000 residents, which fluctuates due to crime.
The foundation provides employment for eight people, six of whom reside in the community, in skills training and empowerment.
Under its land tenure programme, the foundation acts as a facilitator for residents to liaise with government bodies to gain titles to property on which they reside.
They also operate a farmers’ group which plants, maintains and reaps produce on a 1/3 acre farm.
The farm provides vegetables for meals prepared for programme participants and is also sold to residents at an affordable cost.
Operations officer, Chantal Boothe, underscored that Rose Town has access to a reservoir of trainable youth, some of whom are unemployed or unattached.
“We will always have children who need to be engaged and the socioeconomic challenges are likely to persist. The foundation is in a position to offer that support once we seek funding and get support from The Prince’s Foundation and our other donors,” she said.
Foundation operates kindergarten, after-school programme
The foundation operates a kindergarten and after-school programme, which currently caters to 13 and 20 children, respectively.
Turning to King Charles III’s coronation, Jankee said she is happy for him as he has waited a long time.
“We know that as a result of his new role, the time and focus that he had been able to give to his charities overall and the work that The Prince’s Foundation has been doing here has been reduced substantially, but he still has an interest and this is something that I think is on a personal level,” Jankee remarked.
Deleta Hibbert has benefited from the work of the foundation in various ways.
“The first time he came, I was here. He fell in love with Rose Town. He fell in love with the people and wanted to do so much for the community,” she told The Gleaner.
“Through the foundation I became an environmental warden in 2019, my daughter also worked at the foundation in the education department and now I am a cook. I prepare meals for the kindergarten students, the staff, make food for the evening class and if they have any functions I do that also,” the 60-year-old said.
KNITTED AND CROCHET ITEMS
Ramsay, a 53-year-old mother, also participates in the foundation’s 18 to 80 programme, which produces knitted and crochet items.
“We do pop-up shops and sell the items and we do pottery also. The classes are not just about skills, it’s about the whole woman. We focus on health, we discuss topics like menopause, we also have motivational speakers and we journal,” Ramsay told The Gleaner.
Hibbert also intends to watch his coronation, which will be held at Westminster Abbey in London.
“I am very excited. Prince Charles is like our own. Through The Prince’s Foundation the community has benefited significantly,” she said with a smile.
The foundation is currently partnering with Born Fighter Enterprises, an initiative started by Lance Bogues and Chadayne Hines, young residents who are passionate about transforming the lives of at-risk youth.
Born Fighter has a poultry farm and the team is in the process of re-establishing a block factory and building a music studio.
Bogues shared that they have also held football competitions and will host Child Month and Labour Day activities in May.
“They got a big endorsement from the police. Sports and youth empowerment are key as crime-fighting tools. Our partnership with them is meeting our objectives of bringing peace to the community and empowerment to the young people and them leading is a plus,” Jankee remarked.