VOLUNTEERS from an Irvine church charity project donned fancy dress and kilts for a special fundraiser last weekend.
The Irvine Kanyanda Project hosted a Mardi Gras ceilidh in Fullarton Connexions on Saturday, with more than 100 people dusting down their dance shoes to take part.
It was organised to support the ongoing appeal to build a clinic in Kanyanda, Uganda to help improve health care in the area.
Organiser Ian Young said: “We sold about 130 tickets although some people didn’t make it as they had been ill, but we had about 100 along. We are hoping to raise £400-£500 which would take us to nearly £80,000.
“We are acquiring the land for the residential part of the building which staff will need to live in as this area is not commutable, certainly not in the rainy season. We need to get staff on site.
“The community land that was available is pretty much earmarked for the clinical facility so we bought land from some of the local farmers for the accommodation and also to help staff produce their own food."
“We started this project in earnest about two-and-a-half years ago and in that time we have made some good strides.
“The people there are very supportive and we are in this together. They seem to have a passion for it and they really have a vision for this project. I was not sure at the start if that would really happen.
“The project is moving but it is moving slowly. I got great feedback from the people attending and the band were terrific.”
After the ceilidh entertainment, one of the committee, Sandy McFadyean, rounded off the night by performing his version of the Waterboys song, Fishermen’s Blues.
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