Jamaica is Chloe's Destination
Jul 26, 2023 • General
Chloe Brough from Wigton YFC, was one of 8 successful applicants, who shall be volunteering in Jamaica this August. Like fellow Cumbrian Young Farmer Hector Meanwell, Chloe applied through the NFYFC.
This is a great opportunity to work with local people in Jamaica. With incredibly friendly people and a unique culture that’s steeped in history, Jamaica is a Caribbean Island that must be visited to be really appreciated.
There are three parts to this trip with the opportunity to live and volunteer on remote farms in Mandeville in the parish of Manchester, followed by a weekend exploring some of the amazing beaches and waterfalls, as well as a plantation and rum distillery, followed up by time working with children in care centres and touring specific farms.
Chloe will have an opportunity to live with other Young Farmers with a local family in Mandeville and work with local youngsters in a care centre. As well as spending time developing the vegetable garden that is used to support the centre, she will then have time to teach and play games with the children.
The farms that the volunteers will be working on vary but all are used to benefit care centres, homes for the physically and mentally disabled, local schools, small farmers and farming cooperatives, and agricultural research facilities. These farms may be organic or non-organic farms, protected or open-door farms, or research-based farms.
In the evenings there will be time to socialise with the group and with the host family over the many delicious dinners, as well as visiting the town of Mandeville. There will be opportunities to dance to traditional Jamaican dancehall music, sample the local rum and try the huge array of food on offer.
At the weekend YFC volunteers have an opportunity to explore some beautiful beach communities, swim in crystal clear waterfall pools and take a tour of a rum distillery to see how Jamaica’s national drink is made. In the second week, after finishing the work on the care centre’s farm, volunteers will be taken on a tour of certain demonstration farms that are being used as models to educate Jamaican farmers and show them cheap and sustainable farming alternatives to combat certain issues.
Travelling on a Team Travel programme allows volunteers to explore Jamaica in a different way than they could imagine, see how agriculture works in the Caribbean, help at a children’s centre and really find that this will be the trip of a lifetime.
YFC Travel is kindly supported by the NFU Mutual Charitable Trust.
Chloe has gained sponsorship for her trip and donations which has enabled her to buy gifts for the children from Harrison & Hetherington, Dodd & Co, Paragon Vets, Aspatria Farmers, friends and family for which she is truly grateful for.
Enjoy every minute Chloe, we look forward to hearing all about this incredible opportunity when you return.
