Darren Sheppard gets Commonwealth Point of Light award

Queen Elizabeth II, as head of the Commonwealth, has recognised Darren Sheppard, representing TT, as the 220th Commonwealth Point of Light in honour of his exceptional voluntary service running pan music education programmes for young people and seniors, said a release from the British High Commission.

Sheppard, 49, leads Fonclaire Steel Orchestra, which has helped teach music and run education programmes for over 1,000 children in schools in south Trinidad. He has been a member for over 40 years, and has since founded numerous steel orchestras, both in TT and in Canada, where he has worked as a musician.

Through Fonclaire, Sheppard and his network of volunteers aim to support under-resourced communities and use music to provide opportunities for new generations of young people. The band also recently set up a seniors programme teaching music to older people who turned to music as a form of therapy during the pandemic.

As part of the legacy of the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in London in 2018, the Queen, as head of the Commonwealth, is thanking inspirational volunteers across the 54 Commonwealth nations for the difference they are making in their communities and beyond, by recognising one volunteer from each Commonwealth country every week.

The Commonwealth Points of Light awards celebrate inspirational acts of volunteering across the Commonwealth and help inspire others to make their own contribution to tackling some of the greatest social challenges of today.

Sheppard said: “This award shines a light, not only on me, but on the magnificent power of TT’s steelpan music and the amazing community that gave birth to our steelband. I thank God for being the centre of my work and I thank Her Majesty the Queen for honouring me with this recognition. I finally thank sons Daniel and Dade for sharing me all their lives with so many others.

“Fonclaire forever.”

Harriet Cross, British High Commissioner to TT, said: “Darren is an admirable example of someone who works continuously to empower his community through his work with young people. Through his stewardship of the steelband Fonclaire, he has used TT’s steelpan music to inspire people, young and old, to improve themselves and excel beyond expectations.

“I am delighted that I will soon present Darren Sheppard with this honour on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen.

“In addition to highlighting Darren’s work which drives positive change in San Fernando, I hope this award inspires people to dedicate themselves to improving their own communities and their country. I know many people are proud of Darren’s achievement and I wish him continued strength and success.”

The Commonwealth was decribed in the release as a diverse community of 54 nations that work together to promote prosperity, democracy and peace. The heads of government meeting brought together leaders from all the member countries to reaffirm common values, address shared global challenges and agree how to work to create a better future for all citizens, especially young people. Voluntary service is a vital part of this agenda, which is why the queen has chosen to recognise outstanding volunteers across the Commonwealth in this special way