TT National Receives Commonwealth Point of Light Award

Queen Elizabeth II, as Head of the Commonwealth, has recognised Trinidad and Tobago National Darren Sheppard as the 220th Commonwealth Point of Light, in honour of his exceptional voluntary service by running steelpan music education programmes for young people and seniors. Mr. Sheppard, who leads ‘Fonclaire Steel Orchestra’, has helped teach music and run educational programmes for over one thousand children in schools in South Trinidad. 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 our time. Mr. Sheppard has been a member of the orchestra for over 40 years and has since founded numerous steel orchestras, both in Trinidad and Tobago and in Canada where he has worked as a musician. Mr. Sheppard and his network of volunteers aim to support under-resourced communities and use music to provide life-changing opportunities for new generations of young people.