Musical night will be fund-raiser for Ghana trip for Bourne Community College students

His first big event is A Night At The Musicals at Chidham & Hambrook Village Hall on Saturday, June 17, a celebration of musical theatre through live singers, musicians and dancers from the local area (tickets from Ghana.kieranturnbull.uk). He organised a similar event a while back for another good cause and will be drawing on some of the performers he used then.

15-year-old Kieran will be the host on the night. Already he has brought together performers including a guitarist and someone who will deliver a musical medley on the theme of cheese, plus a dance school.

Kieran says he is passionate about the local community and has organised various fundraising events in the past. Now the focus is on West Africa.

“I am one of a group of 20 Bourne students who have been given the opportunity to take part in a 15-day volunteer trip led by Plan My Gap Year to Ghana. The aim is to support with restoration of schools and churches and to teach English to the local children. The renovation project will involve painting, building or improving an aspect in a local village, school or hospital, alongside skilled local trades people.

“Afternoons will involve the community aspect of our trip visiting local primary schools to brighten up the lives of vulnerable young children through delivery of different subjects from English to maths and sports.

“In the evenings we will have the opportunity to experience and further our knowledge of local culture and cuisine. We will also be able to participate in two weekend trips to Mole National Park and the Cape Coast. The cost of joining this project will be £2,500 per student, all of which we are expected to raise through fundraising activities and sponsorship.

“We are going hopefully in February 2024 and I think it's just going to be really eye-opening for me. There is only so much of the world that you can see from our little corner of Sussex. I just feel it would change my priorities and my views just to see how other cultures live and work. I don't know how I will react to start off with. I am not a big fan of change but I do feel that change is good.”

And he's already started doing the research: “For the trip I've already started looking into the football team – not that I am a fan of football! But I just want to understand some of the things that some of the children are going to be into.”

Kieran is also looking for sponsorship for the trip. Anyone willing to support him can get in touch on [email protected]. He will report back on the trip to his sponsors afterwards.