Big Live Show

 Last night was the long-awaited Big Live Show. This is the fundraising event for Casa Semear which I've been planning and producing for the last six months! The band had been rehearsing long and hard to get the songs up to scratch. Local singer/song-writer Andy Craig had also been enlisted to play and I'd been working with him to learn some of his material. Meanwhile I'd put my studies aside to produce some videos of Casa Semear, to put the programme together and do all the organising required to get the show off the ground. However, on friday night disaster struck and I ended up in A&E at the Royal Infirmary with serious chest pains and breathing difficulties. There was talk of keeping me in over the weekend depending on the results of X-Rays, blood tests and the ECG. Thankfully I got the all-clear and there didn't seem to be any serious cause other than major stress. On Saturday morning the band came together for a final rehearsal but I was still struggling to breathe through each song and wondered if I was going to have to call the whole thing off! However, by the grace of God I was fit and able to perform by Saturday night.

Band

The show went well. The programme ran smoothly and there was a good turn out. Just before  the end of the show we announced the total amount of money we'd collected over the evening which came to £850.10. However, by the end of the night  more money had come in and altogether, including the £250 cheque from the teachers at my work, a £400 collection from Casa ABBA, a £75 donation from Keynotes Children's Choir   and several other donations in the past month, we have managed to take in £1812. The majority of this will go straight to Casa Semear and a small portion of last night's collection will contribute to my living costs during my two month trip. There is now enough money to pay for the kids camp in July and money to buy some more resources for the daily running of Casa Semear. A valuable part of the evening was also being able to share with people a little bit more about what's been happening at Casa Semear and spreading the word about why funding is needed.



Andy Craig

I couldn't be more grateful to all the people who made last night a success. The band worked so hard for months and put up with all my bossy rehearsal directions! Thanks to Alex Russell for getting up and working his magic! A huge thankyou goes to Andy Craig for volunteering to play and for the £200 brought in by sale of his albums. Also a huge thankyou is deserved by the tech crew without whom nothing would have worked! Thankyou also to the wonderful people who stewarded, served refreshments, collected money, sold tickets and made all the other bits of the evening run smoothly. I couldn't have done it without all the help of willing volunteers and I am eternally grateful for your support. I had great fun doing the show and I'm a little sad it's over. Oh well... there's always next year!

 

Video of the Big Live Show: "Forget You" by CeeLo Green