THE Rose Theatre will host 'Vibrant Kingston' this April - a performance celebrating the borough's cultural diversity aiming to promote a sense of belonging and inclusion.

The Mayor of Kingston, Sushila Abraham, is the brains behind the initiative which will be in aid of the Mayor's Charitable Trust supporting local charities Milaap and Anstee Bridge.

The celebration will include dancers and singers from Greek, Korean, Chinese, Bulgarian, Indian, Jewish, Sri Lankan Tamil and English communities celebrating their heritage and culture.

Katherine Greening is the project director at Anstee Bridge, a Kingston based charity aiding young people aged 14-16 who face emotional challenges that cause them to struggle and disengage from education.

Ms Greening explained how funds raised from Vibrant Kingston will allow the local charity to expand their reach to younger children who have been particularly affected by lockdown restrictions due to Covid-19.

She said: "Mayor Sushila Abraham's initiative will allow us to expand our focus to children in Year 7 and 8 who have struggled with the transition from Primary to Secondary during the pandemic.

"A lot of Year 7s have barely been inside a classroom since Year 5 and we are determined to aid as many young children as possible in building friendships with new classmates and feeling confident in their new curricula."

Milaap, the second local charity that will benefit from proceeds raised on the night, works to protect the mental and physical wellbeing of the elderly from multicultural backgrounds in the borough.

A combination of volunteers and elderly members of the charity will be participating in the show through a series of Indian Folk, Fusion and Bollywood performances.

Mary Bourne, a respected choir director who is known for her generous charitable work and support for musical performance in the borough, will be the producer of April's cultural celebration.

The Mayor also expressed her hope that the audience will come away from the performance aware of the exciting diversity that exists throughout the borough.

She said: "This is a chance for all of us to learn from each other and celebrate together the beautiful, technicolour tapestry that is Kingston.

"I hope that everybody comes away from the evening with a greater understanding and appreciation for the diverse cultures of our borough."

Vibrant Kingston will take place on Sunday 10th April.

To purchase tickets head to the Rose Theatre website at: https://rosetheatre.org/whats-on/vibrant-kingston-cultural-celebration-2022/book-tickets.

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