Neal and Massy Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra

Neal & Massy’s sponsorship of this band began in 1988. Over the years the Neal & Massy Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra, now considered an institution and a proven pioneer in the steelband world, continues to delight audiences with their outstanding performances, skill and disciplined appearances from street corners to concert halls with membership varying from ten to one hundred players.

The rich and colourful history of the steelband movement in Trinidad and Tobago is deeply interwoven with that of the Neal & Massy Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra.

This steelband was the first to introduce classical music on the road playing to the rhythm of calypso. The band is also accredited for the making of the first Quatro pans later called the grundig and the guitar pans.

In 1982 the band was presented with a national award – the Hummingbird Medal Gold for its contribution to the steelband movement. Four years later the band was honoured with an award from the Port of Spain City Council.

BEETHAM COMITTEE PROJECT

Neal & Massy Holdings Limited continues its funding of the Beetham Committee Project under the administration of Servol. This Project has involved since 1993 the maintenance of the Rock Gardens along the Beetham Highway by forty-four women on a rotation basis at an annual cost of approximately $140,000. The Project caters mainly for women, most of whom are single mothers and the sole breadwinners of their homes.
Supervision of their children is of vital importance to the women. and therefore the hours are flexible. The all-round development of the women is also important and they are requested to be part of the Parent Outreach Programme organized by Servol, geared towards enhancing the parenting skills of mothers with young children.
The Neal & Massy Project makes a significant impact on this community, encouraging community spirit and camaraderie among the women. The programme has also enabled the women to accomplish thefollowing:
Each woman has purchased a share in the sum ofTT$IO.OO for the operation ofa canteen which was opened on January 2, 2001 to facilitate the Servol Beetham Junior Life Centre.
A chequing account was established for continued production, with the women making and selling food items for the canteen so that all should benefit on an ongoing basis.