Public Officers are invited to kick off Public Service Wellness Month with an afternoon of socially distanced praise and thanksgiving at the Cyril B. Romney Tortola Pier Park.

The Praise Party will be held on June 1 at 3:00 p.m. and will include musical performances from The God Movement, Gabrielle Denae, Dylan Penn and others as well as inspirational messages, and is designed to uplift public officers as part of Public Service Wellness Month. The event is the first of the month-long programme being held under the theme “Restoration From Head to Toe… Inside and Out.”

Employee Relations Manager, Mrs. Noreen Callwood-Lewis, said the theme was chosen to highlight that physical and psycho-social aspects of health are all intertwined.

“So from top to bottom, the inside and out, every way possible, this is about restoring ourselves and each other,” she said.

Other events planned for June include a mini-health fair, daily personal fitness challenge, free weekly workouts led by local fitness trainers at the Noel Lloyd Park, visits to various offices from the Employee Assistance Programme and its partners such as the Ministry of Health and Social Development; educational presentations; and a friendly, teambuilding inter-departmental wellness challenge.

Director of Human Resources Mrs. Michelle Donovan Stevens  said the wellness initiative grew out of the Department of Human Resources’ understanding that recent years have been demanding for the entire Public Service.

​“We recognise that it has been a challenging period for everyone, and we hope that our hard-working public officers will take the opportunity to be refreshed through these  events by taking care of their health at every level and have fun reconnecting with fellow officers during the month’s activities,” she said.   

Mrs. Donovan Stevens also offered much appreciation for the collaboration with the Virgin Islands Civil Service Association, Ministry of Health and Social Development and the Private Sector sponsors who have contributed to the initiative.

As an added incentive, public officers who participate in Public Service Wellness Month activities will have an opportunity to win wellness-related prizes including gift certificates for spa treatments, an air fryer, and healthy snacks. Prizes are sponsored by Bobby’s Supermarket, One Mart Supermarket, Amara Spa, Save the Seed Energy Centre and other sponsors.

The Employee Relations Unit is committed to positively impacting the lives of public officers by providing meaningful intervention, confidential counselling and recognition of excellence. The unit offers educational programmes to enhance employee job performance and overall wellness. To contact the Employee Assistance Programme Counsellor, call 468-9889.                

IMAGE: Public Service Wellness Month Calendar