By Isle of Wight Observer
Two evenings of music, fun, and community spirit have taken place at Barton Manor, in aid of Polly’s Fund.
The concerts saw the return of Andrea Colombini, director of the Puccini Festival in Lucca, and his performers.
In August 2017, only three months after giving birth, Polly Birch, just 32, died of cancer. Her family set up a fund to give the opportunity to Island children to have the chance to learn to sail.
Polly’s parents, Richard and Felicity Dick, said: “We are thrilled with the success of Polly’s concerts, and deeply moved by the generosity and commitment of all who helped to put these wonderful concerts on – particularly Andrea Colombini and Polly’s cousin, Philip Turner. The weather was kind, the music sensational and the joy created palpable.”
The concerts raised more than £60,000 to support Island children to take part in Polly’s Challenge, enabling them to have a week of fun while learning new skills and making new friends through outdoor activities delivered by the UKSA team.
To find out more about Polly’s Challenge, and how your child can access the water-based programme during the summer holidays, visit UKSA Polly’s Challenge via iw.observer/pollys-challenge.