Croeso / Welcome to the North Wales Jamaica Society 

NWJS was established in 2011 and this website has been around for a loing time - it needs updating but it is also our archive! 

Over past years the North Wales Jamaica Society has explored ways to better understand the shared history of Welsh ownership of plantations in Jamaica.

Now the project is progressing, and several strands of activity are emerging including the development of Civic Links between May Pen, Clarendon in Jamaica and Bangor, Gwynedd in North Wales.  The Mayor of May Pen made a request to the NWJS before Covid hit to explore the possibility of procuring a repurposed fire engine to increase the response capability of the Jamaica Fire Service in Clarendon.

FIRE ENGINES FOR JAMAICA PROJECT:     SUPPORT THE 'ENGINE OF HOPE' APPEAL

Mike Mapp from Bangor Fire Service has started an appeal for funds needed to get the Fire Englishes donated over to Jamaica, where they are badly needed. He is well suppported by others in the Fire and Res=cue Serive including Jamaican born firefighter Geoff Miller, who is a based at Holyhead Fire and Rescue Service. 

The group have now taken delivery of the first and second fire engines, donated by Fire Aid, and have collected a container full of life saving equipment including inflatable boats to use in flood rescue, breathing equipment and protective clothing. 

We need the cash now to transport to Jamaica in the near future.

Now the effort is focussed on raising funds for transport and training costs, with a Go Fund Me appeal and options for organisations and individuals to sponsor this significant gift to benefit the people of Clarendon.

For further information, please contact Garrick Prayogg, Chair of the NWJS on 07878915864 or email garrickprayogg@gmail.com or through our Contact Us page 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Updated May 2025:  

NWJS is also supporting two Welsh Government Taith funded projects: 

Adult Learning with people who took part in our non formal learning sessions in 2023/4 now taking part in study visits between Wales and Jamaica.

Youth Learning with over 18's taking part in Learning Links International's 'Youth Activities' projects.

We are also supporting the development of Civic Links between the City of Bangor and May Pen, Clarendon, as well as supporting Learning Links International's course with Adult Learning Wales: 'Exploring our shared history: Wales and Jamaica', focussing on the Pennant family's plantation ownership which was mainly in Clarendon, Jamaica.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2025 Updates

On Sat 5th April  we welcomed folks called Pennants, as we start a networking group on Facebook called 'Pennants and Friends' - exploring how so many people with Jamaican heritage have the name Pennants.

We also had an update on the Jamaica Wales Alliance,  welcoming frineds from Pennants and explore what we know so far about the plantations that the Pennant family owned in Jamaica and how they came to be sold.

On Sat 1st February - we welcomed members of the Jamaica Wales Alliance Project Committee, the Pennants Community Development Committee and other friends from Jamaica who have been active in supporting the Welsh Government Taith Project.

On Sat 1st March at 2pm / 9am NWJS Treasurer Lesley Evans updated us on her fascinating research into the names of the enslaved workers on the Pennants Plantations.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive more information or to register as a NWJS Member CLICK HERE 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks to all those who have joined our online meetings in the last months
to learn more about our shared history
to discuss ideas, make plans and checked out funding possibilites
to support the Pennants community in Clarendon, Jamaica. 

We continue to support Learning Links International non formal learning approaches
each month with sessions to support 'Exploring our Shared History' at our Open Meetings
with regular updates about the reparation funded activities that are 
beginning to make a difference for the community in Pennants.