A FUNDRAISING event is being held to support a school in Africa.

Basingstoke Rugby Club is hosting a summer fete fundraising event to raise money for Pride Rock Trust School, a charity school in Livingstone, Zambia.

The fete will take place on Saturday, July 30 and has two parts: a free to enter fate from 12pm – 4pm, and a ticketed live music event from 7pm – 11.30pm.

The fete will feature many attractions for attendees both young and old, including a raffle, face painting, and various games.

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The fete will also feature stalls run by local businesses; at time of writing over 30 businesses from the Basingstoke area have agreed to take part.

Meanwhile, the evening event will feature music from local band Freight Train Runners and DJ duo Pro Vers Soundz.

Tickets for the evening performance will cost £6 if bought in advance; the price increases to £8 if purchased at the door.

The event is being organised by Maxine Stevens, and all proceeds raised will go to Pride Rock Trust School.

Located in Livingstone, Zambia, Pride Rock Trust School offers education to local children aged between 4 – 8.

The school was founded by Livingstone resident Paul Kamwe in 2019, and currently offers full time education to 28 local, under-privileged children aged between 4-8.

Paul grew up in poverty in Livingstone, before being sponsored by Maxine and her husband Paul; he would later go on to earn his teaching degree.

Maxine and Paul hope that the money raised at the event will allow them to build a second classroom for the school; this will enable students to continue their education until the age of 12.

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Constructing a new classroom will cost roughly £3,500.

Maxine said: “We’re giving the children an opportunity to have an education to read and write.

“We’re trying to support the families as well, not just the children.

“I just want it to flourish, I just want it to grow.

“The school was just a dream three years ago, and now look where we are.”

Maxine also said that, if the fete can raise the required money and the new classroom is constructed, then sponsors for the new children will need to be found: “We will now need probably another 20 sponsors to help with the new lot of students who will be coming to the school.”

According to the humanitarian aid organisation UNICEF, 54.5 percent of Zambia’s population lives beneath the national poverty line, while 40.9 percent of children suffer from at least three deprivations, such as lack of access to education, nutrition, or adequate housing.

More information about the event can be found by visiting Pride Rock Trust Schools’ Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/procktrustschool/, or by emailing Maxine priderockschoolzambia@gmail.com.

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