A musical concert will be held in Glenbrook in October to support The Bush School Cambodia.
The school was established in 2010 by Glenbrook residents Doug Frewer and his late wife Christine. It provides education in the native Khmer language, English to Intermediate level, maths, IT skills, art and music. The 130 children who attend classes from kindergarten to grade 9, now receive a basic education instead of spending their time begging at the nearby Angkor Temples.
"Five trained Khmer teachers educate and care for these children in a school that is recognised as a valued asset of the surrounding poor community," Mr Frewer said.
Overseas accredited volunteers are welcomed and assist teachers in the classroom or carry out important building improvements when required. "Friends from the Czech Republic visited recently to construct a library. This now houses useful books in both Khmer and English," Mr Frewer said.
"A group of medical students from Spain also visited and were able to give excellent lessons on disease treatment, hygiene and nutrition."
The Lions Club of Winmalee adopted the school as a special project in 2010 and continues as an umbrella organisation for fundraising in Australia.
"The school supporters are faced with a budget challenge in the coming year, owing to a less favourable exchange rate between Australian and US dollars caused by global economic uncertainty. School funding is by US dollars, this being the major currency in Cambodia and we must work harder in Australia to meet the school's budget target," he said.
The concert for Cambodia will be held at St Finbar's Church Hall, Levy St, Glenbrook on Saturday, October 26 at 7.30pm. Titled "Classics to Abba", the concert will feature players from the Blue Mountains Orchestra and the Blue Mountains Concert Band. The program will include wind and string music in arrangements drawn from composers as diverse as Mendelssohn, Delibes, Rossini, Joplin and writers for Abba. Tickets are $25 per person, $45 per family (concessions available). Bookings recommended: Phone Doug on 0403 303 943. More info at: bushschoolcambodia.com