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The Strathpeffer Spa Pavilion (www.strathpefferpavilion.org),
in a Victorian spa village in the Scottish
Highlands, hosted a weekend long performing arts
charity event in March as part of the 2007 year long
celebration of Highland culture (www.highland2007.com) to help raise funds for
Kambia. |
The idea for the event originated with Scottish
author Emily Joy (www.accidental-optimist.com), who
is donating to Kambia the proceeds from sales of her
book Green Oranges on Lion Mountain – a humorous
account of her experiences working V.S.O. at a
mission hospital in West Africa. Emily visited the
local primary school children to talk about
healthcare needs in West Africa and enlist the
children’s support. The primary school children’s
West African themed exhibition of art was one of the
highlights of the weekend charity event.
Emily, along with her thespian husband Terry
Langdale, helped to produce and host the event and
present an insight into West Africa medical care at
each performance. The charity event benefited
greatly from the voluntary support of the local
community, Pavilion staff, local business providing
raffle donations, and over 60 seasoned and
professional Highland performers showcasing their
talents.
The Kambia benefit opened on the Friday evening with
Dingwall Players (2007 Scottish Community Drama
Association finalist) performing comedy theatre,
including The Blood Donor, staged as a radio play,
by kind permission of iconic comedy script writers
Galton & Simpson. Saturday provided a family fun
day with the local brownie, church and under 5’s
mums groups providing stalls, with live music and a
local film show also on offer. Saturday evening’s
Gala Dinner featured virtuosa performances from
local vocal stars and musicians, including one of
the foremost Gaelic singer in the Highlands Fiona
Mackenzie (Gold medalist at the 2005 Mod), local
baritone Des Devine singing songs from the musicals
and jazz singer Liz McLardy.
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Dingwall Players in
action performing Galton & Simpson's the
Blood Donor and a 1950's vignette Painful
Extraction, by Jean Taylor Smith.
(Photographer Glenn Collet)
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Scottish youth talent made Sunday’s theatre and
musical entertainment a great success with a
toe-tapping musical concert by Fèis Rois Youth ( www.feisean.org/rois/)
accompanying afternoon tea and a homemade bake stall
and ices. Then on the evening Dingwall youth 19
strong cast (stage winners of 2007 SCDA Highland
Division for ensemble playing) performed All Three
Kingdoms, by Sunny Moodie and a music recital.
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Overall the weekend fundraiser was lots of fun for
all involved: performers, community helpers and the
hundreds of people who turned out to support. More
importantly the community event helped raise the
visibility of West African healthcare needs and
Kambia charity whilst raising funds of over £1,500
from tickets, sale of goods and donations and a
further £500 of gift aid donations to Kambia. |
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