Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Oct 16, 2025

Drakes Traders donates $5K to FSN for counselling

Drakes Traders donates $5K to FSN for counselling

The Family Support Network (FSN) has received its annual seasonal donation from Drakes Traders Ltd, which it typically puts towards an outreach activity that is most in need of funds.

This year, the $5000 will be used to provide the counselling that is essential for individuals to move out of the cycle of abuse and on to a trajectory of independence and self-sustenance.

Mrs Michelle Rymer, Assistant Manager Drakes Traders, presented the cheque to Ms Jasmin D’Aguiar, Treasurer of the Family Support Network.

According to a press release from Drakes Traders, Ms D’Aguiar told the management at Drakes Traders that while the not-for-profit organisation will provide support for individuals and families who are in need, the aim is to provide stepping stones to move out of the harmful situation and into leading a life that is free of abuse and fear.

Why do people stay in abusive relationships?


“There are many reasons why people stay in abusive and unhealthy situations,” said Ms D’Aguiar.

“The majority of people we see are those who may not have independent means of living and who are fearful of what will happen to them financially as well as physically if they break the ties and leave the abusive relationship. It becomes more difficult when children are involved. Once we are able to place the clients in a safe zone, the counseling is essential to provide them with an understanding of their situation. The sessions build confidence and provide the mental and emotional tools to feel strong and empowered enough to break the cycle and plan for the medium and then the long term. We are very grateful to Drakes Traders for their generous gift to our clients,” D’Aguiar continued.

This year, the FSN which serves Tortola and the sister islands of Jost van Dyke, Virgin Gorda and Anegada, will have supported between 250 and 300 households per month.


Drakes Traders also on ‘standby for support’


Drakes Traders, a home improvement store in Fish Bay, Tortola which has been serving the community for over three decades, has always been a supporter of the efforts of the Family Support Network.

“We live in a close knit society and, as a family and as a business, we have always believed in providing a helping hand for those that need it,” said Christian Esser, Managing Director of Drakes Traders.

“Over the years we have established a relationship with the FSN where we are always on standby to offer support and are ready to work with them to achieve their long term goals. This annual donation is something that we do with hopes that we are providing some relief during a time when spirits are meant to be lifted with a hope of something brighter for the future.”

This year, the FSN which serves Tortola and the sister islands of Jost van Dyke, Virgin Gorda and Anegada, will have supported between 250 and 300 households per month. With family sizes ranging from 2 -12 persons, this is a figure of 600 - 700 people who receive assistance from the charitable organisation.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
Bessent Accuses China of Dragging Down Global Economy Amid New Trade Curbs
U.S. Revokes Visas of Foreign Nationals Who ‘Celebrated’ Charlie Kirk’s Assassination
AI and Cybersecurity at Forefront as GITEX Global 2025 Kicks Off in Dubai
DJI Loses Appeal to Remove Pentagon’s ‘Chinese Military Company’ Label
EU Deploys New Biometric Entry/Exit System: What Non-EU Travelers Must Know
Australian Prime Minister’s Private Number Exposed Through AI Contact Scraper
Ex-Microsoft Engineer Confirms Famous Windows XP Key Was Leaked Corporate License, Not a Hack
China’s lesson for the US: it takes more than chips to win the AI race
Australia Faces Demographic Risk as Fertility Falls to Record Low
California County Reinstates Mask Mandate in Health Facilities as Respiratory Illness Risk Rises
Israel and Hamas Agree to First Phase of Trump-Brokered Gaza Truce, Hostages to Be Freed
French Political Turmoil Elevates Marine Le Pen as Rassemblement National Poised for Power
China Unveils Sweeping Rare Earth Export Controls to Shield ‘National Security’
The Davos Set in Decline: Why the World Economic Forum’s Power Must Be Challenged
France: Less Than a Month After His Appointment, the New French Prime Minister Resigns
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that Hungary will not adopt the euro because the European Union is falling apart.
Sarah Mullally Becomes First Woman Appointed Archbishop of Canterbury
Mayor in western Germany in intensive care after stabbing
Australian government pays Deloitte nearly half a million dollars for a report built on fabricated quotes, fake citations, and AI-generated nonsense.
US Prosecutors Gained Legal Approval to Hack Telegram Servers
Macron Faces Intensifying Pressure to Resign or Trigger New Elections Amid France’s Political Turmoil
Standard Chartered Names Roberto Hoornweg as Sole Head of Corporate & Investment Banking
UK Asylum Housing Firm Faces Backlash Over £187 Million Profits and Poor Living Conditions
UK Police Crack Major Gang in Smuggling of up to 40,000 Stolen Phones to China
BYD’s UK Sales Soar Nearly Nine-Fold, Making Britain Its Biggest Market Outside China
Trump Proposes Farm Bailout from Tariff Revenues Amid Backlash from Other Industries
FIFA Accuses Malaysia of Forging Citizenship Documents, Suspends Seven Footballers
Latvia to Bar Tourist and Occasional Buses to Russia and Belarus Until 2026
A Dollar Coin Featuring Trump’s Portrait Expected to Be Issued Next Year
Australia Orders X to Block Murder Videos, Citing Online Safety and Public Exposure
Three Scientists Awarded Nobel Prize in Medicine for Discovery of Immune Self-Tolerance Mechanism
OpenAI and AMD Forge Landmark AI-Chip Alliance with Equity Option
×