Fresh appeal for help to rebuild Clifton Boys’ Home
Published:Wednesday | August 29, 2018 | 12:00 AMChristopher Thomas/ Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Westmoreland Custos, the Reverend Hartley Perrin, who is also the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Clifton Boys' Home in Darliston, has launched a fresh appeal for funds to help rebuild the home, which was destroyed by fire last January.
Twenty-eight male wards were displaced when the fire, which broke out shortly after 4:00 p.m. on January 15, 2017, destroyed all their personal belongings, leaving them without a home.
While noting that the plan to rebuild the home has been submitted to the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation, Perrin said that they were still short of the funds required for the rebuilding.
"Persons have seemingly forgotten that there's an urgent need to help us at the Clifton Boys' Home," said Perrin. "I can't tell when last any money came into the accounts because people have just forgotten about the whole project."
He added: "The building plans have been drawn up and submitted to the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation. It was hoped that Food For The Poor would've assisted us, but they have some problems with logistics because they're based out of Kingston.
Continued Perrin: "We're trying to find persons close enough to Westmoreland who we can relate to us."
Immediately following the fire, assistance for the wards poured in from various organisations, to include Digicel, Jamaica Broilers, and Sterling Asset Management. Two accounts were also created at the National Commercial Bank in Savanna-la-Mar for the home's rebuilding. The account numbers are 611-098-561 (local currency) and 614-525-185 (United States dollars).
Perrin said the boys, who range in age from six to 18 years, are now being housed at the Assemblies of Holiness Church in the neighbouring Caledonia community.
"The boys are still at that place in Caledonia, and we have to pay rent, which is eating into our resources," said Perrin. "The boys don't have a playing field as they would have at the Clifton home. It's not adequate, but they're coping with what they have."