Cheshire Village gets makeover

The Cheshire Village for persons with disabilities has been given a makeover by the Rotary Club of Kingston through fundraising efforts and contribution by twin-club Rotary Club of Naples North, Florida, to the tune of over $3.5 million.

Located at 7 Golding Circle – a stone’s throw from the Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre – the 21-house village was built in the 1970s with donations by: Royal Air Forces Association Jamaica 580 Branch, the Freemasons of Jamaica, Seprod Limited, the Jamaica Producers Association Limited, Bank of Nova Scotia Jamaica Limited, and Myers, Fletcher and Gordon. The community was erected to accommodate persons with disabilities who wished to transition from the Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre to a place of independent living.

With a need for improvement to the structure and surroundings, the Rotary Club of Kingston, through its president Karsten Johnson, made the Cheshire Village the club’s major project for 2022-2023.

“The objective of the major project was to provide residents of the Cheshire Village with improved functionality and independence within critical areas of their homes and neighbourhood, in alignment with the Jamaica Disabilities Act 2014,” Johnson noted.

He said arising out of a series of town hall meetings with residents to determine their immediate needs, the Rotary Club of Kingston installed six solar street lights on the compound; changed and raised the heights of toilets for easier access; installed support bars and railings along walls in the restrooms; painted and tiled where needed and installed new, lower cupboards, sinks and faucets in 11 kitchens for better accessibility for those in wheelchairs.

The first phase of the project was completed on Saturday, February 11, 2023 with the installation of solar street lights. With funds raised from a pre-Valentine’s Day party, an annual golf tournament and contribution from the Rotary Club of Naples, Florida, work on retrofitting of houses began in May 2023 and will be completed by the end of June this year.

The project is aligned with four of the seven areas of focus in Rotary International: Disease Prevention and Treatment; Water, Sanitation and Hygiene; Maternal and Child Health and Economic and Community Development. It is also in keeping with six of the United Nations’ 17 Goals of Sustainable Development, including: Good Health and Well-Being; Clean Water and Sanitation; Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; Reduced Inequalities; Sustainable Cities and Economies and Climate Action.