April 2010 Newsround

Earlier this year, Multistory Theatre came into South Dartmoor Community College to perfom 'Sealskin' to Year 9 and Sixth Form A level Drama and Theatre Studies students. The Drama department have thanked The Helen Foundation for their generous support with this project.

One student wrote: "I really enjoyed the Multistory performance - we got loads of ideas and it'll be incredibly useful to my group when we're rehearsing our A level exam piece."

A Level students, Malaika and India (in the deerstalker hats from the show) are pictured with John, Bill and Gill from Multistory Theatre in the photo below, following their performance of 'Sealskin'.

Our Lady and St Patrick Primary School, Teignmouth, recently enjoyed a terrific day with artists Lauren Ballard and Roselle Angwin as part of their school's arts week. This is part of the on-going support to Teignbridge schools from the £25,000 pledge made by The Helen Foundation this academic year. More workshops on the way!

Some of the Foundation's Patrons, the internationally acclaimed rock band Muse, made a most moving tribute to Helen by dedicating the performance of their hit anthem "Starlight" on 8 March 2010, which was Helen's birthday. Appearing at the packed 16,000 capacity Air Canada Center Toronto as part of their North American tour, singer song-writer Matt Bellamy made the tribute to the band's friend before launching into the number that brought a special roar from the crowd.

The Foundation recently received this message from the mother of a young violinist we are able to support after she wrote asking for our help as family circumstances had forced her to suspend her daughter's lessons. The young girl needed a new violin and the chance to re-start her lessons. Her mother writes:

"I would like to thank you very much for your generosity in providing a bursary for [her] to continue her violin lessons with her teacher. [She] is so pleased to be playing the violin again and it is lovely to hear her playing. Again we thank the Foundation for providing her with the opportunity to continue in reaching her potential."

We wish this young musician every success with her lessons.

Exminster Primary School Choir is heading for the stars! Supported by a grant from The Helen Foundation, they are on their way to a superb experience of joining with choirs across the country in a special concert at the Royal Albert Hall, London in November this year. Singing in such a setting will be a huge experience for them and coupled with a weekend which includes seeing a London show (The Lion King) and visiting The Houses of Parliament, they will have an experience truly to treasure. More details nearer the time.

Grey days of February were enlivened by a hugely fun-filled fund-raiser for the Foundation...

"Basement Jerks" - a group of local friends who get together to make music and to raise money for charity - headed a Tropical Valentine's evening on a particularly cold Valentine's Eve at Dicey Reilly's in Teignmouth. Guests dressed in outrageously bright-coloured beach garb, and danced the evening away in a packed basement to great music. With luscious tropical fruit and fine wines and sweets as prizes, the large raffle was made possible by Shaldon and Teignmouth businesses and kind individuals.

As well as having a great time, over £380 was raised. Warmest thanks to all who helped organise the event, the band - David, Pat, Simon, Andy, Kev - the lovely singer, Fliss Terrill, and of course to the brave revellers in their sunny tropical beachwear! What a great night out.

As part of their "Giving Nations" initiative at Trinity School, Teignmouth, a team of Year 9 students undertook a business-based exercise aimed at raising funds for a nominated charity. This team selected The Helen Foundation and ended up being the winning team. We were really impressed by their creativity and commitment, and therefore wrote in our letter of thanks to them:

"We understand your team managed to raise over £150 and ended up as the top team. Well done! You certainly deserved OUR vote, as your approach throughout to The Helen Foundation was marked by excellent attention to detail, commitment and hard work - and lots of enthusiastic and creative ideas. We are so impressed! Thank you once again for all you have done and we wish you well in any future charity fund raising."

A young ballet dancer from Bishopteignton whom we have supported in the past, is now on the brink of a professional career after rigorous training in London. We are supporting Sonora again in attending the Prague Masterclass. Bringing the most brilliant pre-professional students and young professional dancers from all over the world with over 10 leading international artists from the ballet world, this is one of Europe's most prestigious ballet teaching events.

Unlike many who are passported into the Prague Masterclass through their ballet school that has links to the event, Sonora has been offered a place through the strength of her own presentation. We wish her every success in the future!

The Foundation sends its most sincere condoloences to the family and friends of well-known Teignmothian Tommy Cox who suddenly died recently, aged 57. Tommy was a great supporter of young musicans in the area, encouraging, guiding and playing alongside them in a number of bands. At his funeral and at his wake afterwards, his family asked that donations be given in his memory to the Foundation to continue supporting young people's aspirations in the arts. We are very grateful to his family for this most generous gesture. Over £350 was raised in Tommy's memory.

1. Some complete strangers, met in a restaurant in New York State, donated to the Foundation after a conversation about what we do.

2. A group of students at Dartford Grammar School continue to support the Foundation with fund-raising musical soirees.

3. Two family friends and one family member have made generous ad hoc donations.

4. The Foundation was nominated as one of the charity beneficiaries from the fund-raising associated with the 750th anniversary of the church of St Martin and St Mary, Chudleigh.

5. Customers at Tesco Express Teignmouth continue their record-breaking donations through our collecting boxes.

6. Helen's Aunt, Catherine, provided a terrifc selection of raffle prizes for a future event.

7. The Shaldon Post Office are always so helpful with the Foundation's banking needs.

8. Last, but my no means least, the Adams family, who never fail to help out with collection boxes and money counting etc.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!

Teignmouth's oldest pub and one of the best supporters of The Helen Foundation hosted yet another in the series of the highly popular "Folly at the Jolly" fundraisers for the Foundation on Easter Saturday. Starting at 5.00 pm, a variety of talented bands performed, thereby reinforcing what we already know: that Shaldon and Teignmouth and our entire locality are a force to be reckoned with when it comes to excellent music-making.

The headline band was Bad Mojo and they were supported by the likes of: The Return, Parksey, Jez Southgate, Nuasis, Black Rose Red Sky and Temporary Mind.

The Foundation is proud once again to be associated with the Jolly and its very generous fund-raising efforts and thank the lovely staff there for all they do for us, not just with musical events, but with other things like their flourishing nearly-new book-sales initiative too.

STOP PRESS: the final count in fund-raising from the event is just in and a fantastic £350+ was raised via the well-supported charity raffle, sales of the special Red Rock beer keg that was kindly donated and the generously filled collection boxes. Thank you to everyone who came along and made the evening such a fantastic success. We hope everyone who came along had as much fun as the Foundation trustees present on the night did!