Maples Group pledges $70K to support special education

A law firm in the local financial services industry has pledged US$70,000 to support the redevelopment of the Eslyn Henley Richiez Learning Centre, which caters to children with special needs in the community.

The Maples Group said the donation will be used to pay for the outfitting of therapy and sensory rooms in the school, which will provide inclusive, empowering education aligned with BVI’s mandate to educate all children.

The company said the donation is the latest in a series of partnerships between the Maples Group and the Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Agency (RDA), following the extreme weather events of 2017.

“To launch the new recovery partner initiative, an official Deed of Contribution Signing Ceremony will be held on Thursday, 20 June 2024 at 3:00 pm with members of BVI government, the RDA, Eslyn Henley Richiez Learning Centre and the Maples Group in attendance,” the company said in a press release.

The partnership between the RDA and the Maples Group to reconstruct and refit the Eslyn Henley Richiez Learning Centre, destroyed by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, forms part of the RDA’s mandate to rebuild, recover and improve the BVI community with various projects and initiatives following the extreme weather events.

BVI Managing Partner, at Maples, Chris Newton said, “The Maples Group is honoured to partner once again with the RDA to jointly contribute to the revitalisation and growth of the BVI community. Education is of vital importance to the Maples Group where we believe that education is a universal right accessible to all children, regardless of their diverse needs or abilities. We look forward to the completion of the new school and the positive impact it will bring to the students’ lives and future.”

RDA Chief Executive Officer Anthony McMaster commended The Maples Group, saying they’ve been “a valued recovery partner since 2019 and we are delighted to collaborate again to bring a new chapter to the Eslyn Henley Richiez Learning Centre. Recovery partners such as the Maples Group are essential to the success of the RDA and highlight the power of collaboration between the private and public sectors. We hope it serves as inspiration for other recovery partners to join RDA’s ongoing projects and initiatives toward the betterment of the BVI and our community.”