Project Zulu Choir Tour Seeks Volunteer Host Families

Households are being encouraged to volunteer as host families for next year’s Project Zulu choir tour. The choir, consisting of 20 children aged between 11 and 14-years-old, will depart South Africa for the first time to journey to Bristol with their teachers in May 2025. Over a period of three weeks, they are scheduled to tour the South West, presenting their marvellous traditional Zulu song and dance in various venues, including concert halls, churches, schools, and busy city centres. Kate Willis, project coordinator, stated: “Welcoming the children and teachers into your home is a unique cultural and relational experience which creates memories and connections that can last a lifetime.” The Project Zulu team at UWE Bristol is coordinating the trip, and while in the UK, the choir and their teachers will reside in pairs with local hosts who “play a vital part in making the tour a success.” Ms Willis commented: “Whether you’re an experienced host or embarking on the adventure for the first time, we’d love to hear from you. “Our incredible choir couldn’t tour without your support,” she added. Every penny raised will be directed back to their township schools to improve educational facilities, specifically by harnessing solar energy and installing learning and technology equipment to develop digital classrooms. Norman Muton and Bridget Robbins from Yate learned about the Project Zulu choir tour after visiting South Africa. They volunteered as a host family in 2018, hosted for a second time in 2023, and plan to volunteer again in 2025. “We love the country and love the people,” said Ms Robbins. “So when we heard about the choir and the need for host families, it seemed like a really great idea.“We were a little nervous the first time around, but within a few minutes of the children arriving at our home they were dancing to music, and it was if they’d been here for months.” “The house was full of laughter and noise,” added Mr Muton. “Wonderful noise – music, dancing, it was just joyful. “The children are amazing; they’re away from home, they’re communicating in a second language with people they don’t know. “Everything is different and yet they just embrace it all. It’s an incredible experience.” For updates, follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.