It was brilliant to hear that the Leeds Youth Jazz Rock Orchestra has donated instruments to the Akhaya centre in Durban, South Africa...

The orchestra raised over £8,000 to pay for six trumpets and six trombones after visiting the Ekhaya Centre in the Ethekwini municipality of Durban in 2007 and discovering it had just a drum kit and piano. On returning to Leeds, the young people performed at gigs, parties and functions to raise money to purchase the instruments and send them out to South Africa. The link between the jazz rock orchestra and the Ekhaya Centre is the result of the partnership between Leeds and Durban which has been developed by Leeds City Council’s international relations team. The instruments recently arrived at the South African centre and are already being used by local children and young people.
Chris