THE Pringle Home for Children celebrated this Labour Day weekend with the opening of its newly renovated kitchen.

Upgrades to the facility were provided by the Digicel Foundation and its volunteers over the last two weeks, with a final coat of paint signalling the completion of the project last Friday.

The facility, which is run by the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), was at risk of closure as the outdated kitchen did not meet the necessary standards for licensing. However, after a visit to donate Christmas dinner in December, members of the Digicel team reached out to the home to see how the foundation could assist.

“The CPFSA is in the licensing cycle, and for facilities to get the necessary clearance from the public health authority, fire brigade and parish council, all of these critical and essential areas within the facility have to be up to a standard,” explained Rosalee Gage-Grey, CEO of the CPFSA. “From a public health perspective, it is very important to have the kitchen in a condition to be approved for the licence.”

Among the issues that the facility was facing was that of rotting cupboards. The Digicel Foundation outfitted the kitchen with new cabinetry and painted the facility to offer a refreshed look.

“The contribution from the Digicel Foundation is of extreme importance,” said Jeanette Rose-Bryan, manager for the Pringle Home for Children. “Adequate nutrition is important to the raising of our children, and the work being done on the kitchen will enable us to prepare meals in a sterile and efficient way.”

As the facility prepared for the no movement day on Labour Day, children and staff were invigorated by the work of the Digicel Foundation volunteers and pitched in to do additional work to clean around the facility.

“A simple project like replacing cabinets in a kitchen can bring new life to a space; our Digicel volunteers are excited to be giving back to the home and lifting the spirits of its wards,” said Charmaine Daniels, CEO of the Digicel Foundation. “This is an opportunity for us to come together and create a world where no one gets left behind.”