CHESTER CASTLE, Hanover – PRINCIPAL of the Chester Castle All- Age and Infant School in Hanover, Tiffany Grant-Smith, says the recent donation of 250 pairs of shoes to students at her school by an overseas church group, has greatly assisted parents who were finding it challenging to buy footwear for their children to wear to school.

“These children would not have attended school regularly since they would not have had the proper shoes to wear, so this is a great opportunity for those children whose parents are now being provided with shoes for them. So, they [parents] are now able to save on the money that they had probably to buy a pair of shoes, to buy books or so now,” Grant-Smith explained.

She stressed, however, that the school do not turn away students who does not have the “correct shoes” to wear, but noted that “some of the children based on how they feel, they would not want to come to school without the proper footwear.”

The donation was made by members of the New Orleans-based Beacon Light International Baptist Cathedral out of the United States. Each member of the church sponsored a pair of shoes for a student.

This is the second such donation by the church to the Chester Castle All- Age and Infant School located in the deep rural community of Eastern Hanover. The first donation was made in 2013.

Pastor of 25 years for the Beacon Light International Baptist Cathedral, Bishop Darryl S Brister, told the Jamaica Observer West that he was moved to support the school following a visit to the institution four years ago. He said, at that time, he was one of the scores of missionaries called, ‘Crews With A Cause’ that was assigned to different schools in western Jamaica during that year.

“When I came here the impact that the children’s life made on me… I knew that I would have to come back here at another particular time. The thing that really caught my attention when I was here four years ago in talking to several of the children I noticed that many of them did not have shoes, and some of them did not have a very good quality of shoes,” related Bishop Brister.

“The Lord touched my heart and I decided that we would establish a relationship with this school, Chester Castle All- Age, and to ensure that at least once a year we would with the help of God, give shoes.”

An elated Grant-Smith in expressing her appreciation stressed that the school was given ample notice of the pending gift, and as such parents were given the option to focus their back- to- school purchasing efforts on other materials needed for school.

The school principal is also urging the students to wear the shoes with pride and to take good care of them.

“Children, I encourage you, wear the shoes with pride; take good care of them, and ensure that every single day that you wear them, you remember that Jesus allowed you to get them,” encouraged Grant-Smith.

Similar sentiments were also expressed by the school’s board, the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) and past students’ association, during the recent ceremony held at the school, where the shoes were fitted to the feet of each child.

At the ceremony, teachers at the school received key rings and DVDs which were recorded at the Bishop’s church.

Some 289 students are enrolled at the school.