Cookstown girl’s charity concert to aid third world children

Christmas is a time of giving and one Cookstown girl has taken this sentiment to heart as she has organised a charity concert in aid of the third world.
By Sheena McStravick
Published 6th Dec 2014, 06:00 BST
Ellen prepares for the Cookstown at Christmas Charity Concert with Meta Bell, Director of Cookstown Youth Choir together with friends Lydia Allen and Constance Leitch.Ellen prepares for the Cookstown at Christmas Charity Concert with Meta Bell, Director of Cookstown Youth Choir together with friends Lydia Allen and Constance Leitch.
Ellen prepares for the Cookstown at Christmas Charity Concert with Meta Bell, Director of Cookstown Youth Choir together with friends Lydia Allen and Constance Leitch.

Ellen Groom has organised the event on Saturday 13 December at 8.30pm in Cookstown Parochial Hall on the Fairhill Road with proceeds from the concert going directly to Father Frank Quinn of the Rosminian Missions to help fund a Mother and Baby Outreach Service in Tanzania.

The aim is to provide excellent mother & baby care in a loving and compassionate environment for women lacking access to quality health services. This includes health education, nutritional support, connection with area resources and medical services.

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Concert proceeds will also to go to Saphara, a charity which aims to provide children in India with an education so that they can escape the extreme poverty in which they are living. Saphara took over the funding of Donk Primary School in 2009 to save the school from closure. Each child at the school is provided with an education through the Saphara sponsorship programme, which is now being extended to other schools.

Saphara also directly pays the salaries of a number of teachers, ensuring that senior teachers continue their high level of teaching. In addition the charity provides professional support in the form of workshops led by lecturers, teachers and school principals from N. Ireland.

Ellen will be travelling to India next summer with Saphara - proceeds will go directly towards resources to support the children’s education together with basic necessities such as hot food and clean clothes.

Ellen told the MAIL: “We hope that the concert will be a fun Christmas night out for families and friends in the local community, whilst at the same time benefitting those that are so much less fortunate than ourselves.”

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Performing at the concert will be Cookstown Youth Choir, directed by Meta Bell, Cookstown Folk Group led by Donald Canavan, Irish Dancers and local soloists.

Tickets are £6 each and are on sale at Sheehys Newsagent in Cookstown or by texting/calling Ellen on (07808 541771) or Anne Marie Groom on (07519 597484).

Alternatively you may wish to make a donation towards these worthy causes.