The Milton Margai School for the Blind Choir brought warmth and sunshine to a cold, rain-drenched Britain as they kicked off their 2007 Freedom Tour, “Sing Freetown”, with a stunning concert in Canterbury Cathedral. Nearly 600 people packed into the magnificant thousand year old cathedral to accompany the 25 strong Choir on its musical journey from the freed slaves who gathered around the Cotton Tree in Freetown over 200 years ago, through independence and the horrors of the rebel war, to the hopes for the future as Sierra Leone continues on its path of peace and democracy.

All 25 members of the Choir and 5 members of staff, led by Headmaster, Mr Albert Sandy, arrived safely at Gatwick Airport on the Astraeus flight from Lungi early on Saturday 28th July and settled into their accommodation at the Dorton House Blind School in Sevenoaks, Kent, Milton Margai School’s twinned sister school. The Choir’s 2003 Tour had ended at Westminster Abbey, so it was very fitting to start the 2007 Tour in Canterbury Cathedral, Britain’s premier cathedral. In an unprecedented show of appreciation, the whole audience rose to give a standing ovation at the end of a thrilling concert.

Canterbury Cathedral was followed by open-air concerts in London’s Regent’s Park. Hundreds of tourists from all around the world mixed with London office workers and British families visiting the capital as they gathered around the bandstand to the Choir’s welcoming chant of ‘Una Kam’, composed by the Choir’s Director, Mr Alie Conteh. Many in the audience, young and old, were on their feet dancing ot the lively Krio songs ‘Faya Faya’ and ‘Freetown Baby’, including an elderly couple celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary. The unexpected pleasure of seeing and hearing the Choir was, they said, “the best possible wedding anniversary present!”

The Regent’s Park concerts were interspersed with visits to the Houses of Parliament, Moorfields Eye Hospital and the BBC, including a guest appearance by one of the Choir, Ibrahim Conteh, on the BBC’s breakfast television show, watched by millions of viewers in Britain.

The visit to the Houses of Parliament was at the invitation of the Rt. Hon. William Hague, MP, the former opposition leader and now Foreign Affairs spokesman for the Conservative Party. The Choir sang for “Uncle William”, who addressed the group and presented them with a signed copy of the biography he has just written on William Wilberforce. The 2007 Tour by the Choir is to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade, and following the meeting with William Hague, the Choir visited the slave trade exhibition in Westminster Hall inside the Houses of Parliament, where they were able to listen to the original speeches made by William Wilberforce and others in the various House of Commons’ debates at the time on the slave trade. As time was pressing, the ‘Hon. Speaker’, P.C. Komrabai Peter Penfold, wound up the debate and put the motion to the floor of the House that the slave trade should be abolished. It was passed unanimously and enthusiastically by the members of the Choir.

At Moorfields, the most famous eye hospital in the world, the Choir sang a selection of songs to the staff and patients, and at Bush House, the home of the BBC World Service, the Choir recorded a couple of songs and met Network Africa’s presenter, Bolla Musaru, who later interviewed Alie Conteh, Miatta Moriba and John Kargbo, for her programme. She was especially interested in the Choir members’ views on the forthcoming elections in Sierra Leone.

Thursday was a special day as the Choir was taken by coach to Reading, the town on the River Thames west of London, where the local Sierra Leone community treated them to a delicious meal of rice and cassava leaf. This was followed by a sell-out concert at the Wesley Methodist Church, where the Choir was joined on stage by the Reading All Steel Percussion Orchestra (RASPO). This fusion of African and Caribbean cultures had people on their feet singing and dancing, and the “Train Song” finale brought the house down. One Sierra Leonean, long term resident in the UK had tears in his eyes. “They make me feel proud of being a Sierra Leonean again”, he said as the Choir’s singing and dancing brought back memories of his Sierra Leonean childhood.

With Britain now basking in sunshine, the first week ended with a trip to the seaside. The Choir went to Hastings, the famous seaside town on the south coast. There were squeals of delight as they went on the various thrilling rides in the fun fair, and after another delicious meal of rice, cassava leaf, and groundnut stew, the Choir performed in the St. Mary in the Castle Theatre to another packed audience. This concert was produced in association with the Hastings Sierra Leone Link and the proceeds from the concert will go to both supporting projects in Hastings just outside Freetown and to the running of the Milton Margai School.

And so, the first busy but exciting week came to an end and it was in the coach to Cardiff, the capital of Wales!

04.08.07
Barbara Davidson M.B.E.