Ball a class act in support of African children

Guests tucked into food and danced the night away at the Winter Garden summer ball, helping to raise much-needed money for the Kabalega primary school in Uganda, where almost 1,000 children are taught in cramped facilities.

Businesses and well-wishers who couldn’t attend still gave generously and under the guidance of local fund-raiser extraordinaire, Don McPhee, the ball raised around £14,000.

Driving force behind the evening were Eastbourne couple Jess and Simon Gisby, who have made it a family mission to continue the work of Jess’s aunt, Penny Mann. The event was supported by The Rotary Club of Eastbourne, of which Jess is a member.

Jess and Simon took their own two children, Logan (11) and Felicity (13), to Uganda during school half term, to meet the children at Kabalega primary school and learn more about the Masindi community which Jess’s aunt had supported for the past 20 years.

The £14,000 raised in Eastbourne will fund about two-thirds of the cost of the new classroom and the family are still hoping to raise the extra needed to get the project over the line.

Said Jess: “The kids are just amazing – kind, polite and happy. Some get to school as early as 6am because they are so keen to be there. The new classroom will make an absolute world of difference to them.”