Harpenden golf day raises £4,000 for African schoolchildren

A golf day has raised £4,000 for charity, enabling 30 children from one of the poorest parts of Africa to attend primary school for a year.

Forty golfers took to Aldwickbury Park Golf Club in the fourth annual event organised by Harpenden Spotlight on Africa (HSoA).

The charity works with rural communities around the town of Mbale, near Uganda’s border with Kenya, to provide schools and clean water, train health workers and fund schemes that give people the means to earn a living.

Twenty two prizes, donated by local businesses and including dinners at Auberge du Lac at Brocket Hall, The Fox and The White Horse, were won by the golfers.

After the golf, 65 people enjoyed dinner, a raffle, and an auction.

HSoA chairman Andrew Mayo said: “The day was terrific. We raised hugely valuable funds that will change the lives of some of Africa’s most vulnerable communities.

“Thanks to the generosity of our supporters we will be able to staff Mbale’s school with three full-time teachers, or put the money towards a borehole that will give 400 people clean water.

“The projects we support save lives and we need events like these to continue our work. I’d like to thank everyone who took part and the businesses who helped make it such a successful day.”

HSoA is run entirely by volunteers with 95 per cent of donations going directly to Africa.

A quiz night including supper at Lourdes Hall on will take place on Saturday, November 14. Anyone wishing to attend should contact Pam Brown on 07775603822.