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Social Outreach

Discover the vibrant passions that drive our BMA staff in their Personal Passions feature. Dive into the inspiring story that fuels their creativity and commitment to the community. Feel free to read an interview with them and see why they serve the community.

Please provide the name of the initiative cause and how long have you been involved?

I have been on the Board of The Friends of Hope Academy (FOHA), Bermuda registered charity #722, for over 18 years.

Why did you choose to support it?

My late son Gareth was a special needs child and this resulted in me developing a personal interest in issues affecting Bermuda’s special needs community.

Overall, what is the charitable organisation’s mission and how does it make a difference to the people/cause it aims to help?

The mission of FOHA is to support the children who attend Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy – Bermuda’s only school exclusively serving students with multiple and profound special needs – as well as the special needs community in Bermuda more generally.

What is your specific contribution to the initiative/cause and how have you made an impact to the people/cause it aims to help?

I have served as the President of FOHA for over 18 years. During that time, our charity provided funding that enabled scores of young people with special needs to attend purpose-designed camps (on island, and in some cases, overseas) during school holidays. These experiences have been developmentally helpful, inspirational and enjoyable for the young people involved as well as providing important respite for their families. In addition to supporting these camps, FOHA also provides funding for specialised equipment to be used to enhance curricular and extra-curricular activities for students attending Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy.

How does your charitable involvement align with the BMA’s core values?

I believe that my involvement with FOHA and the involvement of FOHA in our community are extremely well aligned with the BMA’s cultural values, particularly ‘We Care’, ‘We Engage’ and ‘We Create’.