Very impressive work in Beetham says UK MP

A visiting delegation of UK MPs yesterday described the work being done at the All In One Child Development Centre at Beetham Gardens, as “very impressive” and affording the youngsters at the centre “a pre-school education which is sure to stand them in good stead in their future lives.”

This was stated by a member of the visiting United Kingdom delegation, MP Roger Godsiff, who represents the Birmingham Small Heath area, as they were treated to a tour of the facility located at Beetham Gardens.
“The work they are doing here is about self help, and obviously the staff that are here are very dedicated and committed to teaching these young people.

I am delighted they also seem to be getting a good degree of support from the business community,” stated Godsiff.

Founder of the Centre, Wayne Patrick, recalled the humble beginnings of the school, as he described the galvanize structure in which they first began teaching children of the area and the numerous hurdles they had to overcome.

“We had nothing at all, no toilets, no lights, no water, but we made things work,” claimed Patrick, adding that they later entered a competition hosted by NP, in which they were successful enough to win some cash, which they used to purchase furniture for the centre.
Patrick also proudly revealed that he was presented with a Gold Medal of Merit by the President, for his work and dedication to ensuring the children of the area received an early education.

The centre currently has five teachers, who were trained at Servol, and students ranging in ages from three years old to teenagers.
Godsiff also revealed that the British High Commission had rendered some help to the centre MP for the area, Fitzgerald Hinds said no acts of vandalism had taken place at the centre. Godsiff said Hinds had communicated to him that the centre was part of a “people’s community and that they run it, as well as look after it.”

He was unable to say if this was the first time such a delegation had visited Trinidad, but said an invitation had been extended to the British Commonwealth Parliamentary Association by the TT government.
Godsiff said they were being shown the enormous potential that TT has, in addition to the huge gas operation which will surely generate a lot of money for the government.

“I hope very much indeed that the people of Trinidad will benefit from this wealth which you are sitting on,” Godsiff concluded, adding that he hoped the dedicated volunteers like the ones he had seen yesterday, would be among the beneficiaries.

Hinds said he was quite proud of the fact that the visiting delegation appeared to be “learning” about the work being done at both the Centre and Servol.