Shropshire college concert raises money for Ethiopian school
Money raised from a concert in Shropshire has paid for a new concrete floor in a school classroom for disadvantaged children in Ethiopia.
Just prior to the Coronavirus lockdown, a BTEC music charity concert at Concord College in Acton Burnell raised £525 for the Lalibela Primary School which has over 1,000 pupils, some of whom are desperately poor.
The amount was rounded up to £600 with sales of cookies by the college’s form three students in twilight sessions.
Prior to receiving the money, the pupils at Lalibela Primary School had to sit in the dirt and dust, as tables and chairs are limited.
But as a result of the money given by the Concord College community the large, open plan classroom now has a solid floor.
Concord geography teacher Steve Cale, who helps run the Soil of Amhara charity, said: “It is a big thank you to music teacher Hannah Perrins for allowing the BTEC concert to have the Soil of Amhara as the designated charity for this brilliant event.
“The teachers and the school director Ato Tesfalem were most grateful on behalf of the children.
"As well as helping the pupils by creating a better and safer learning environment, the money goes directly into the local community to provide jobs.”
Steve is assisted in running the charity by fellow Concord teacher Angus Grant and Edward Coward, who is married to head of lower school Rachel Coward.
The BTEC music charity concert, the second of the year held last month, contained a great deal of diversity, with band performances, solo singers, piano duets, orchestral and dance groups and even a kung fu performance.
