A show at the Gaiety Theatre to raise money for charity work in Africa is being supported by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company.
The Faaaaaaabulous Ceri Dupree Show will take to the stage on 4th March to raise money to provide essential aid, including clean water and education, to a village in Senegal. The Steam Packet Company is assisting with the cost of bringing the show to the Island.
The fundraising event is being organised by Josephine Veldhuizen as she continues support for the village of Saal. She started sponsoring Samba, a young boy in the village, through ActionAid, in 2011 and was so concerned by living conditions that she donated the funds for a well to be created.
Working with ActionAid and its local partner APROVAG, Josephine paid for a deep borehole to be drilled, with a pumping capacity of 40,000 litres a day – enough to provide a reliable supply of clean water to the village’s 2,000 residents and their animals.
She has also provided a solar-powered freezer to preserve food and is arranging the construction of a large classroom to promote education for the village’s children. She has further ambitions, including the tapping out of water from the borehole to different parts of the village and purchasing tools for the community.
Josephine said: ‘I was aware of the hardships in this community, which is why I sponsored Samba, but as I became more familiar with the dire conditions they live in I felt I had to do more. I have visited the region several times, including during the drilling of the borehole, and have been deeply moved by what I have seen, but also delighted to see the major difference the donations have made.
‘Water is essential to life and the borehole has been a huge positive to the community. However, there is still so much to be done and it all takes money. That is why I thought about putting on a special show which will raise funds to help the work in Saal continue and grow.’
Ceri Dupree is a celebrated female impersonator who has been performing internationally for almost 30 years. His stage shows have played to sell-out audiences from London’s West End to Johannesburg, South Africa, and he has featured on radio and TV, including the four-part ITV series Ceri Dupree Unfrocked.
His shows include impersonations of major female stars, from Adele to Margaret Thatcher, and his singing, dancing, acting and comedy have won worldwide critical acclaim.
The show at the Gaiety Theatre in Douglas on 4th March will be Ceri Dupree’s first in the Isle of Man.
Josephine said: ‘Ceri Dupree’s show is fantastic. The impersonations are uncanny and there is so much range, it is hilarious and uplifting and the singing and dancing is incredible. He regularly performs to sell-out audiences in theatres across the UK, as well as around the world, so it is quite a coup for the Isle of Man. It promises to be a wonderful evening of entertainment with a world-class and thoroughly enjoyable entertainer, as well as an opportunity to help support the provision of essential and life-saving support for the Saal community in Senegal.’
She added: ‘I would like to thank the Steam Packet Company for assisting with the cost of bringing the show to the Isle of Man. The company’s assistance has helped ensure the show can go ahead, giving Island audiences a rare chance to experience The Faaaaaaabulous Ceri Dupree Show while supporting charity.’
Steam Packet Company Chief Executive Mark Woodward concluded: ‘Josephine has been working for many years, alongside ActionAid and APROVAG, to help improve conditions in Saal and we are pleased to be able to give our support to her fundraising efforts. We wish Josephine and the show all the best.’
Tickets are available now from www.villagaiety.com.
Photographs:
The poster for the Faaaaaaabulous Ceri Dupree Show, supported by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company
Samba alongside the borehole, which has been named Samba Noffly, or Samba's Happiness
