Uganda Link

Bristol Cathedral Choir School is linked with St. James’s School, an independent co-educational secondary school in the centre of Jinja, one of Uganda’s major towns. This was one of the UK’s earliest such Developing World links to be established, stretching back to 1987.

Visits

We run a school trip to Uganda in alternate years. This provides an unforgettable experience for those involved and helps to raise awareness of Uganda in the School. One trip spent two days painting classrooms at Lake Site Primary School in Jinja. We have ‘adopted’ a disabled granny, Joyce Nabirye, and we visit her in her rural community. In recent years the School has provided her with a trike and also replaced her roof and latrine.

Other assistance

In 2011 two projects supported by BCCS were completed. The first was a well which Peter Bond, a retired BCCS teacher, funded with his leaving present. The second was a protected spring in memory of Dave Perry, a Head of Geography, who died in 2010. Eight members of staff took park in a 47-mile sponsored walk to raise money for these projects.

In 2007-2008 we celebrated 20 years of the Link. At that time we raised funds specifically for a girls’ boarding hostel at St. James’s. We have also enabled St. James’s to re-stock their computer room; and we have sent 11 keyboards to St. James’s in the hope of encouraging music there.

Funds

The Uganda Link is a major part of the School’s fund-raising activities every year.  The money we raise pays for bursaries for two needy students in each academic year at St. James’s; it also pays the educational expenses of thirty orphans at Lake Site Primary School; and a further sum goes to Christian Relief Uganda to support Joyce Nabirye, the disabled granny and her family.