THE EDITOR, Sir:I MET Earl and Joan Hibbert from the north of England in 1996 on my fund-raising tour for Jamaica National Children's Home. Since then, the Preston Jamaica National Association has supported the home and Earl has been a fund-raiser par excellence. He and Joan visited the home on their annual holiday here. He has an affinity with the homeland of his father and Joan loves the warmth of the people.
Last year, they saw a 'Hill and Gully' programme featuring Gibraltar Basic School in a remote corner of the parish of St. Ann. They were impressed by the work the school was doing with limited resources in cramped classrooms.
VERY POOR
It was also apparent that the majority of the children were very poor. Earl decided to visit the school to see how he could help. The principal and staff welcomed the couple and on being shown around, Earl there and then gave a donation of one thousand pounds. "You could have knocked me over with a feather," Joan said. "He was so moved, he just did it!"
This was the beginning of the Joclyn-Constantine Taylor Trust Fund that Earl is setting up in memory of a kind Jamaican couple he was close to in England.
This trip, they donated shoes for the barefooted, stationery, and from the school's priority list, sports equipment and twelve musical instruments.
I accompanied them on their 'goodbye' visit to the school. They were embarrassed and overwhelmed by the welcome. To the children they are Auntie Joan and Uncle Earl. Earl's wish is for more people of Jamaican heritage to realise that they can help. "I am just an ordinary working class man ... I would like them to see what a difference they can make by giving whatever they can afford."
This is so true and it is in giving that we receive the greatest pleasure.
I am, etc.,
LEE ARBOUIN
Allerdyce Green, Kingston 8
