Scottish Catholic Observer

A Glasgow fundraising group is pulling out all the stops this month to raise as much money as possible to support hungry schoolchildren.

Artists and Musicians for Mary’s Meals is hosting an art exhibition, two craft fairs, four concerts, and a poetry reading to help the Scottish charity reach more impoverished children with a daily meal in a place of education. Mary’s Meals is now close to feeding one million children every day.

The fine art exhibition was opened yesterday by the Rev Laurence Whitley, minister of Glasgow Cathedral at the Mackintosh Church, Queens Cross. The show—including works such as The Govan Ferry (above) by James Davis—will open to the public on the next day from 10am and will be open until 5pm each day until Friday October 10.

Works of art by some of Scotland’s leading artists will be accompanied by an artisan’s show of diverse designer crafts, and musical concerts will be held at the same venue.

Tomorrow night at 7pm the Morgan Lee Band will perform a selection of world and folk music, highlighting some new compositions. On Thursday October 9 at 2pm, the Glasgow virtuoso violinist Sandie Bishop, with fellow musicians, will offer a recital. On Friday October 10 at 2pm, there will be a free poetry recital, with donations welcomed.

Artists and Musicians for Mary’s Meals has hosted numerous exhibitions and concerts over the last five years, raising enough funds to provide hundreds of children with a nutritious meal every day they attend school.

Netta Ewing, coordinator of Artists for Mary’s Meals, said: “We look forward to seeing many old friends who have enjoyed this annual festival of the arts over the past five years. We have raised the money to build three school feeding stations in Africa, and hope that our 2014 events will enable us to complete the financing of our fourth.

“We are so honoured to receive the support of such wonderful professional artists and musicians. Our deepest thanks go to them for giving us such an enjoyable way of raising funds.”

The festival finale will take place at House for an Art Lover, Bellahouston Park, on Monday October 27. The unique venue has given the Mackintosh Suite over to Artists and Musicians for Mary’s Meals for the day to maximise the fundraising from the event.

Artisan craft stalls will be open from 11am and will be available throughout the entire day and evening. The Virtuosi Recital at 2pm offers music from violins, piano, flute, guitar, harps, and voice. The Lydia de Rosa Singers perform a concert of classical and entertaining light music at 7pm.

Mary’s Meals sets up and runs school feeding programmes in communities where hunger and poverty prevent children from gaining an education. The international charity currently provides a nutritious meal every school day to more than 920,000 children, across five continents.

—For more information on any of the events, please contact [email protected] or visit artistsformarysmeals.com. Tickets for the Mackintosh Church events cost £10 and can be obtained on the door or by phoning 0141 427 3400 or 0141 427 3245, or by emailing [email protected]. Tickets for the House for an Art Lover events also cost £10 but must be booked in advance as seating is limited.

—For further information on Mary’s Meals, please visit www.marysmeals.org.uk