African choir an unforgettable hit

The group of dancers and singers visited Swansfield Park Primary School last Thursday during their trip to the North East, which is part of their current UK tour. The tour is organised by the charity Pearl of Africa Child Care Ltd, which fund-raises to support a number of schools and children’s homes in Uganda.

The choir is formed from these schools which provide education, shelter and healthcare for approximately 2,500 children, many of whom are orphaned or otherwise destitute. The charity works to improve the health, education and welfare of people suffering through disease, war and poverty in the country.

The choir tours the UK once every year to help with the fund-raising mission and the visit to Swansfield Park was an unforgettable affair.

During the day, they staged an assembly performance, before putting the youngsters through their paces with drumming workshops and sharing cultural experiences.

This was followed by a stunning full-to-capacity evening concert in the school hall, which featured drums, whistles, colourful costumes, singing and high-energy dancing. African crafts were also on sale to help the fund-raising. The concert featured a performance from the school’s own choir.

Headteacher Jenny Smith said: “We had a fabulous time, making new friends and experiencing a different culture. It was exciting and vibrant.”

During the day, members of the choir also visited and performed in The Alnwick Garden and looked around The Duke’s Middle School.