A UGANDAN children’s choir has been welcomed back to a York school for a day of fun and fundraising.

Archbishop Holgate’s School opened its doors for a day of enjoyable educational activities, before the Abaana New Life Choir entertained pupils and parents.

The choir, which previously visited the Hull Road school in 2017, has been touring the UK and Northern Ireland to help raise funds and awareness of Abaana, a Christian charity that supports children in Africa.

Abaana’s work aims to break the cycle of poverty through education and, through its work in Uganda, has raised more than £1m, enabling it to build schools and water pumps, support churches and medical projects and sponsor 1,300 children, as well as working with orphaned children on the streets.

The choir joined sixth form student leaders for a varied programme of activities, which included taking part in two technology lessons.

The choir then gave three energetic concerts for years seven, eight and nine, before putting on an evening performance to a packed hall.

Members of the choir are all beneficiaries of various projects and perform songs in Ugandan and English, before telling their personal testimonies.

The evening raised £1,497, which will be boosted by an extra £260 from Gift Aid.

The charity also sold merchandise and found 12 new child sponsors, who have made an ongoing financial commitment to its work.

School chaplain, Richard Nihill, said: “It has been a privilege to work closely with the New Life Choir and organise their programme.

“Welcoming them into our community has had an enriching effect on all the pupils and staff who have encountered them in a variety of ways.

“Abaana’s vision of justice and compassion for the children of Uganda sits very well with our own school values.”