A charity dinner has raised more than £50,000 towards good causes in both the Granite City and Kenya.
The Gathimba Edwards Foundation (GEF) held its third charity dinner last week, and subsequently released the official amount raised.
A total of 400 guests, including the charity’s Kenyan co-founder Gideon Gathimba and the Lord Provost of Aberdeen Barney Crockett, raised £50,135 during the night.
With the money collected, GEF will be able to start 32 businesses for families in Kenya and reduce the number of children on their waiting list for school support in the deprived country.
In addition, the charity will be able to make a £2,500 contribution to the Neil Jaffrey Award, given every two years to a local child in need, which these year went to Evie Munro.
The five-year-old suffers from cerebral palsy, and GEF is fundraising to build a specialist sensory outdoor play area in her back garden in Aberdeen.
Craig Munro, the youngsters’ father, said: “Evie loves being outdoors and gets delight in motion and sound sensory activities.
“Travel has always been an issue for Evie due to her severe dystonia as her body constantly fights against seated positions.
“Being able to access an outside play area suitable for both Evie and her brother Jake at home would give joy to everyone; joy to the children being able to access something together and joy to us as parents.”
Myles Edwards, co-founder of GEF, said: “All of this incredible support from so many people means that more children in this world will wake up tomorrow with more hope.
“For that, we, the children of Kenya and our little hero Evie are forever grateful.”
Details have already been announced for the 2021 GEF dinner, to be held on February 20 of that year, and sponsored by Phil Anderson Financial Services Ltd.
To get in touch to book tables, go to gathimbaedwardsfoundation.org
