Although a number of men who promised to attend the Big Brothers and Big Sisters (BBBS) annual recruitment drive failed to turn up at Warwick Camp on Saturday, BBBS executive director Sen. Patrice Parris still hailed the day a success.

"Of the eight or nine men who showed up, nearly all asked that we send them applications, as they expressed interest in joining our organisation," she said.

This is the fifth year that BBBS has had a recruitment drive with the aim of finding "matches" for dozens of children who are in need of positive role models.

There are currently 40 boys and 12 girls waiting to be paired with adults. Until suitable matches are found, they will remain on a waiting list.

"The men and boys really enjoyed themselves," Sen. Parris said.

With around 20 boys in attendance, the men were able to play volleyball and other games with the children and according to Sen. Parris "the men got a taste of what the big brother experience was like".

Times like these are what the boys need and in most cases want, said Sen. Parris.

"Some boys were clinging to the men so much that we had to tell them to ease off a bit," she said. "But the men were quite gracious and allowed them to be boys."

But although she was pleased with the event, she still wanted to appeal to men to join the organisation.

"I can't put this in any other way - we need the men to come forth."