MUSIC-MAD youngsters had the chance to help children across the world after one of their tutors volunteered at an African charity.
Vocalize Performing Arts Academy members raised more than £400 after a video of the children at Hope and Kindness Children’s Home and School in Kenya singing with the help of Natasha Hodgins from Alvechurch was shown at one of their concerts.
The money has been used to buy instruments which Vocalize children got the chance to have a look at on Saturday (November 15) before they are sent to Kenya. Handbags and footballs bought by Natasha using money raised when she did a charity Colour Run will also be shipped out.
Natasha, who works at Little Mr and Misses Nursery in Northfield, spent a month at the school earlier in the year helping care for and teach the youngsters there, as well as using her passion for performing arts to help broaden their curriculum.
She recorded them performing Sing by Gary Barlow and sent it in time to be shown at the Vocalize production – but due to the poor internet signal there she did not even know if the video had made it until she returned to the UK.
“The experience was just amazing and I want to go back.
“It is obviously really harrowing with some of the stories you hear but it was great to work with the children and to do peer-to-peer work with the teachers there.
“It was so nice for the children to be able to raise money for the charity – which was started by a couple who lived in Astwood Bank – but also to help raise money for other children and the idea of buying musical instruments egged them on further.”
Visit www.hopeandkindness.org for more information about the charity.
