AN Exmouth business woman who organised a series of concerts that raised more than �4,000 for her home village in Tanzania has thanked children from the schools that took part.
AN Exmouth business woman who organised a series of concerts that raised more than �4,000 for her home village in Tanzania has thanked children from the schools that took part.
An extraordinary �4,100 was raised by the Exmouth and Sidmouth community at the recent Jambo Tanzania concert at the Pavilion, performed by school children.
The performances were the latest of fundraising events, organised last year by Judith Smith and Deirdre Dee, in aid of the Buturi fund to raise money to sink a water bore-hole in her home village.
Judith, who runs the Village Shop in Sidmouth has lived in Gussiford Lane with her husband for 21 years, and started the campaign because 2008 was the International Year of Sanitation and her village, where her mother stills lives, had no clean water.
She said: "I would like to thank the local community on behalf of Buturi village.
"This project has been a fully remarkable achievement not only for its gift of life -giving water to a small village in Northern Tanzania but also a demonstration of the amazing heart of a community."
She praised Exmouth's Southwest Ballet School for taking a lead in the project and Renee Fairweather, who 'worked so hard to make the concert a success and enjoyable' and the Exmouth stage coach Sue Marston.
Exmouth Community College's Judi Shankster-Jones and head teachers, Rachel Pattison of Marpool Primary School, and Mr Vincent McClosky of St Joseph Primary School and the head of music, Mr Roberts were also singled out.
Judith also thanked Withycombe Raleigh Primary School and Jill chalkier head of music and the mayors of Budleigh Salterton, Chris Kitson and Exmouth, Joy Whipps for their support, who had supported the project from the beginning.
The lining and capping of the borehole and the purchase of a pump will cost up to �15,000.
In total �4,100 was raised, bringing the total for 2008 to �8,500 and Judith added: "Thank you to the teachers and the children, they put their hearts and souls into it.
"This has helped so much; without water, the community cannot move forward in their basic needs for health, education and employment."
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