Ashington musician inspired to help project in Africa with new recording

Posted by The Journal on Aug 20, 09 11:31 AM in Churches

Paul Slaughter, of Ashington A talented Northumbrian musician has produced a charity CD after being moved by his daughters' voluntary work in Africa.

The plight of African children gave Paul Slaughter, from Campion Way, Ashington, the spur to finally realise his long term aim of creating a album.

To Africa With Love will help raise money for The Walk, a project in Nakuru, Kenya, that gives homeless children somewhere to go, learn, and have something to eat.

Paul, 52, said: "I've been putting it off and putting it off, largely because I was looking for a reason to do it. So I decided I will make a CD and donate all the funds from it to what I see as a worthwhile cause.

"I'm involved with the community church so a lot of the tracks are variations on well-known tunes and hymns."

Paul decided to start raising money for the charity after his daughters travelled out to help with the work.

Victoria, 25, went out three years ago while studying education at Northumbria University and she was followed by her sister Jess, 22, who has graduated in law at Durham University. Paul taught music for 15 years at schools including Hirst High School in Ashington and King Edward VI in Morpeth.

He said: "People from the church and friends have been on to me, saying we really want you to make a CD for us. I wanted to but I needed to have a drive for that.

"When Nakuru came along and I saw what my daughters were doing there it jogged it into life. It became a father and daughter thing."

The album was recorded over a weekend in Whitby, North Yorkshire. 1,000 copies have been pressed, with 200 already sold. Paul also hopes to sell some via charity concerts and as part of the ticket price at a charity ball.

Jess Slaughter He said: "We could make £10,000, and in Nakuru it could help purchase some land to build accommodation for the children, not just a school. At the moment they are returning to the back of the shanty town.

"It's my personal long-term goal, to get involved in this type of work myself. I'm particularly taken by the sheer contrast between the lifestyle we have and the disintegration of life in Africa, and the appalling conditions that children live in."

To order the CD go to www.paulslaughter.co.uk

Pictured: Jess Slaughter in Kenya

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