Starting with a brief ceremony to honour victims of violence and abuse, runners and walkers added touching notes to and left flowers at the Wall of Remembrance bearing stories of victims who have experienced violence in their lives, before taking on the scenic 10K and 5K routes featuring a challenging uphill trek. The Barbados Professional Women’s Club of Barbados (BPW) Safe House and Crisis Centre programme was the recipient of funds raised from the Nation Funathlon, as well as PAREDOS, who provide positive parenting programmes and work through the Child Care Board in Barbados to offer counselling services to families and abused children.
One of the tenets in One Caribbean Media Limited’s Aspiration Statement is “to take a leadership role in corporate social responsibility initiatives in the region”. In 2015, the Group was involved in many initiatives such as:
BARBADOS
Thousands shone brightly at Nation Funathlon which was held in November 2015. With the theme being “Shine Bright Against Violence” the annual Nation Funathlon walk and run was powered by the feet of thousands of participants brightly dressed in yellow, pink and green T-shirts to reflect the message.
DOMINICA
On 27th August 2015, Tropical Storm Erika hit the tiny island of Dominica. As a responsible corporate citizen, One Caribbean Media Limited answered the call for help. OCM teamed up with “All Hands Volunteers” to help raise funds for our Caribbean neighbours. Through the support of many donors from Trinidad and Tobago and across the Caribbean, 48 work sites (homes) were cleared of debris, including hundreds of feet of heavy mud. One school, the Pioneer School, was cleared of mud, and drainage was improved so there wouldn’t be additional flooding.
ST. LUCIA
THE WAVE (ST. LUCIA) – MEN IN HEELS (DASH FOR CASH)
Every year our radio station in St. Lucia, The Wave, partner with Consolidated Foods Ltd, a well-known Supermarket chain, to highlight the Observance of Breast Cancer month (October). To help raise awareness of the deadly disease in men, The Wave in 2014, launched an event for the first time ever in St. Lucia, dubbed “Men in Heels – Dash for Cash”. The event took the form of an ‘obstacle course race’. Participating men raced for the cash at the finish line, by completing the entire obstacle course in a pair of heels. Men in Heels-Dash for Cash is endorsed by the Saint Lucia Cancer Society. Part proceeds of the event went to the Saint Lucia Cancer Society.
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
EXPRESS CHILDREN’S FUND
The Express Children’s Fund (ECF) through its moto “Building our nation through education” continued to provide financial support to hundreds of children of primary and secondary school age in Trinidad and Tobago. In 2015, the ECF celebrated its 20th Anniversary of hosting their annual Dinner and Dance which is well supported by many individuals and corporate citizens. It is through this initiative, the ECF is given the opportunity to be a source of relief to children in need and is able to ease the burden on parents through the provision of books, uniforms, transportation and other educational necessities. In recent years the fund has morphed into much more, becoming a ray of hope for children requiring a range of major medical procedures.
NATIONAL WORD CHAMPIONSHIPS
In our effort to promote literacy throughout Trinidad and Tobago, the Trinidad Express Newspapers “National Word Championship Competition” continues to be a success. The spelling bee competition, which is in its third year, aims to support and promote literacy through the spelling competition, while providing a positive avenue for children to learn, have fun and encourage team-building skills and sportsmanship.
Our past winners:
T10 COMMUNITY CRICKET LEAGUE TOURNAMENT
Launched in 2014, the tournament is in its third year. As the station for sport the tournament was born out of the desire to promote sport at the grass root level, to nurture young talent and to integrate and develop families through healthy rivalry through sport. This is embodied in the tournament’s tag line “Taking Communities Across Boundaries. The T10 CCL continues to grow from strength to strength.
One Caribbean Media Limited partnered with other worthy causes such as:
UNITED WAY OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO – NATIONAL DAY OF CARING
On Sunday 17, May 2015 employees from the OCM Group – Trinidad and Tobago and their families, participated in United Way of Trinidad and Tobago “National Day of Caring”. The Group selected Credo Foundation’s Sophia House to repaint the exterior of the home. The impact that our efforts had on the lives of the children at Sophia House will certainly not be taken for granted as they all remarked that the children have a sense of pride now that they have a “brand new home”.
‘SHINE’ – SECURING HOPE FOR THOSE IN NEED
One Caribbean Media Limited partnered with Guardian Group to host SHINE. SHINE which stands for Securing Hope for those in Need, is a 5K Walk and Run. Its inaugural event was held on Saturday 28th November 2015 at the Nelson Mandela Park. All proceeds raised were donated to ten charities, among them that benefited was the Express Children’s Fund.