Leith Rotary Club supports children’s charity initiatives at annual concert
MUSICAL talent from two Edinburgh schools joined forces this week to support a charity transforming paediatric surgery in low- and middle-income countries.
Around 80 pupils from Leith Academy and Trinity Academy took to the South Leith Parish Church stage for Leith Rotary Club’s annual charity concert, helping to raise over £1,000 of vital funds for Edinburgh headquartered charity, Kids Operating Room (KidsOR).
KidsOR is a global organisation focused on the single task of providing dedicated operating rooms for children’s surgery and to date has provided over 75,000 surgeries in 22 different countries.
Leith Rotary Club chose to support KidsOR at the annual aid concert due to the charity’s exceptional aims, which reflect the club’s motto of ‘service about self’ and conveys the philosophy of unselfish voluntary service.
Rachel Cram, Fundraising Manager at KidsOR, said: “The funds raised at this concert will help directly improve access to safe paediatric surgery and ultimately save children’s lives. We’re extremely thankful to both schools, as well as Leith Rotary Club, for supporting KidsOR’s work and ambitions.
“It is especially encouraging to see pupils actively supporting similarly aged children who are living in countries where the lack of accessible healthcare is overwhelming.
“Safe surgery is something that we so often take for granted and it is fundraising events like this one that ensure KidsOR is able to continue its vital work towards reaching its goal of ensuring life-saving surgery is available to all.”
All proceeds collected during the event will now go towards providing state-of-the-art operating rooms, the training of paediatric surgeons and the provision of anaesthesia to support the charity’s vital work.
Mike Irving, Headteacher at Leith Academy, said: “This is a very worthwhile cause and I hope the concert allows KidsOR to continue having a positive impact on the lives of the children who so desperately need surgery.”
Nick Burge, Headteacher at Trinity Academy, said: “We were so pleased to receive an invitation from Leith Rotary Club and the children were delighted to contribute their time and talents to raise money for such a worthwhile cause.”
KidsOR work with Ministries of Health, hospitals and local teams to install and equip state-of-the-art children’s Operating Rooms and surgical units and currently operate in more than 40 countries.
The charity builds high-quality paediatric Operating Rooms and trains surgeons so they can go on to care for their own nation’s children.
For more information on KidsOR, please visit: www.KidsOR.org
