President of the Virgin Islands Communal Association (VICA), Ms Melissa M. Potter (yellow top), hands over the winning cheque to member of Band of Faith, Trisha Evans in the presence of group members, Mr Matthew Cockburn, left, and Mrs Allecia Scatliffe-Cockburn, third from left and Almira Smith, right. Social Development Department officers, Ms Laurel L. Freeman, 3rd from right, and Eileen Potter, 2nd from right, are also in photo. Photo: VINO

Member of Band of Faith, Allecia Scatliffe-Cockburn, centre, presented the $1500 cheque for the Rainbow Children’s Home to Social Development officers, Ms Laurel L. Freeman, 2nd from right, and Eileen Potter on December 23, 2019. Photo: VINO

Champion carolers, Band of Faith. Minister for Transportation, Works and Utilities, Hon Kye M. Rymer (R5), fourth from right, also joined Band of Faith in the Clash of the Carolers at the Road Town Bandstand on December 21, 2019. The group hails from the Fifth District. Photo: Team of Reporters

Band of Faith won the Clash of the Carolers competition held at the Road Town Bandstand on Saturday, Dec 21, 2019 and collected a cash prize of $3000, half of which was donated to its charity of choice, Rainbow Children’s Home, on Monday, December 23, 2019.

“We feel good to give back to somebody else,” commented member of Band of Faith, Allecia Scatliffe-Cockburn, who said she has been going caroling since she was 7 years of age.

“It is fun, especially when you visit homes like Jeanette Boynes’. They have all the different foods there waiting for us. It’s like our home.”

Scatliffe-Cockburn said her group is already looking forward to next year. “Anything that anybody invite us to we are ready to go, win or not,” she said, adding that the group is about encouraging the younger generation to keep up the tradition of caroling “and they are really enjoying it.”

Band of Faith expressed thanks to the Virgin Islands Communal Association (VICA) for holding the caroling exercise and competition and also extended best wishes to the other teams that took part.

Placing second in the Clash of the Carolers was the Zion Hill Methodist Church, which received $1000, and third was Mount Caramel Baptist Church.

‘Bringing back the Christmas spirit’

President of VICA, Melissa M. Potter explained that the Virgin Islands Communal Association and a “group of community minded people” saw the need to bring back the spirit of Christmas through caroling in the VI “so we had a competition where people had a go out in the community for a period of time and solicit from the people that they went to- indicating that they did come to their homes- and we had a record of that.”

Band of Faith, Potter said, exceeded the amount, “in terms of going to the homes, so they won the competition."

Potter further said a grand finale, featuring three caroling groups, was then held.

Band of Faith again emerged the winners.

Potter also explained that part of the competition was that the winning group would donate part of their winnings to their favourite charity.

Regarding the caroling, Potter said the people enjoyed it. “We saw some videos of the visits at the homes and we could see the people coming out and enjoying it and remembering what it used to be. And so we are asking the public to continue the tradition of this Territory, the BVI. We don’t want our forefathers legacy to go to waste,” Potter stated.

Meanwhile, Minister for Transportation, Works and Utilities, Hon Kye M. Rymer (R5) had also joined Band of Faith in the Clash of the Carolers. The group hails from the Fifth District.