Students and staff from St Mary’s School in Menston hosted an evening of musical entertainment to raise money for the Bambisanani Partnership.

The unique partnership is with with Mnyakanya High School, situated in one of South Africa’s poorest rural areas.

The now annual event featured musical ensembles from St Mary’s, Cardinal Heenan and the Leeds Youth Jazz Rock Orchestra – the co-hosts of the evening, raising money for their own projects in South Africa.

The music ranged from jazz, courtesy of both LYJRO and a collaboration between St Mary’s and Cardinal Heenan’s Jazz Groups, to various vocal numbers and opening the evening: St Mary’s very own Ukulele Orchestra.

The event was extremely well received, with comments from the audience mentioning the relaxed yet lively atmosphere of the evening, whilst raising funds for both worthy causes.

All the acts of the evening provided something different, treating the audience to an evening of varied entertainment.

Assistant Headteacher, David Geldart, said: “This was a fantastic evening of music and celebration. The audience was treated to some outstanding performances of the highest quality. Credit must go to those involved and all those who supported the event.

“Above all, a wonderful spirit and sense of community prevailed throughout the evening. It strikes me that there is no shortage of young people who want to use their talents to make a difference in the world.”