AN EVENING of folk music aims to hit all the right notes in aid of Saddleworth Palestine Women’s Scholarship Fund (SPWSF).
The Fund is holding the ‘Stings of Solidarity’ fundraiser on Saturday, November 16 at Friezland Church Hall, Greenfield, to raise money to support women’s education in Palestine.
The event will consist of ‘folk music for Falastin (Palestine)’ supplied by talented singer songwriters and musicians Bernie Murphy and Northern Threads, from the North-West.
Doors open at 7pm and the programme runs from 7.30pm to 10pm. There will also be a raffle and a Palestinian goods stall.
Samosas (vegan) and savoury snacks will be provided, along with soft drinks. Please bring your own alcoholic drinks.
Tickets cost £12 or £20 solidarity price (plus a small booking fee) and are available online: https://tinyurl.com/4fbyrr4u
Before October 2023, the SPWSF and their sister organisation in Sheffield were supporting 62 women to achieve their dream of getting a degree.
Since then, the lives of the women of Gaza, in particular, have been irrevocably changed. Some of the students have been killed, many have lost close relatives and universities have been destroyed.
Michele Abendstern, a SPWSF committee member, said: “Education has always been highly prized in Palestinian society and despite the atrocious events of the last year, the determination to survive and to build a future remains strong among the women supported by the Fund.”
Catherine Holland, SPWSF chair, added: “The very least we can do is continue to raise funds to ensure that money is available for women in the West Bank now and when it is needed as it undoubtedly will be in the future.”
- Find out more about the event or the Saddleworth Palestine Women’s Scholarship Fund by emailing them at Saddleworth.pwsf@gmail.com
At this juncture with at least 40,000 dead in Gaza, (most of whom are women an children,) this however admirable in principle, it is is becoming increasingly disconnected with reality.
This seems not to be one of the worst kinds of charity, but I’m forced to question if there’s any actually point to it now ?
For example, Israel’s parliament has just banned the UN agency for Palestinian Refugees from operating in Israel and The Palestinian territories so there isn’t even the remotest chance that this money will ever reach it’s intended recipients making the who exercise simply another piece of empty virtue signalling ?
Also what’s what’s really going to happen to the money that’s been raised ?