On Sunday 3 March, CPFP hosted a coffee morning at the Paxton Centre in Crystal Palace to raise funds for PalMusic, the UK ambassador for the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music (ESNCM). CPFP has previously raised funds for PalMusic to provide music bursaries for children in Gaza.

In January, we learned that the ESNCM in Gaza had been partially bombed, and what remained had been vandalised by the Israeli armed forces. Instruments, educational resources and sheet music were all damaged and destroyed. Thankfully, however, Gaza’s only grand piano has been spared and remains unscathed within the shell of the building. The school’s teachers and pupils were not so lucky. All have been displaced and Lubna Alyaan, a 14-year old violin protégé, tragically lost her life, along with around 50 members of her family, after her family home was bombed.

There was huge support and a great turnout for the fundraiser. We were pleased to see many new faces who, appalled by the genocide being perpetrated by Israel, turned up to support us. On the day, we raised £700 for PalMusic which will support the teachers and students in Gaza who have been displaced.