Be United

I wake up most mornings wishing that I could be a better person, that I could have the strength and resolve to actually make an effort to do some substantial good in the world. Holding the door open for the elderly woman who lives upstairs or donating that extra penny to Diabetes UK at Tesco isn’t bad, but today I got a glimpse of how much more one could do.

After a six-month long trip to South Africa, Emma Picken came back with the intention of bringing Be United, which she had founded there, to Scotland. It is a project to empower young people through the organisation of education programmes including drama and music classes, helping children to develop their abilities beyond what is expected in school.

The gigantic task of setting up a brand new charitable organisation in Scotland where hundreds of others exist and are all trying to grasp our attention didn’t discourage Emma and, working from her flat with four other members here in Edinburgh, she is doing all that she can to make Be United grow in visibility and influence.

To this end, Be United are organising a fashion show on Friday December 6th at St. Stephen’s Comely Bank Church in Stockbridge which will fundraise, in part, to send South African children to school. In fact, the price of one ticket, £7.50, can be enough to ensure a South African child’s place in school for a year.

The show promises to be of high quality, independently of its noble goal. Many Stockbridge-based fashion boutiques have offered to exhibit their creations, including Eden, Hibiscus Flower, Dick’s and Common People.

In addition to all of that, a silent auction will be held with exciting prizes including a week-long holiday for six people in a cottage in Achlitibuie, a welcome change from the hum-drum Edinburgh student life!

This is a chance for us to be part of something bigger than each of us, to just take a little bit of time off to give back a little bit of what we have been given and possibly to make a big difference to children’s lives in South Africa but also here in Scotland, where Be United will be able to help increasing amounts of young people thanks to you and I. Here is a link to Be United’s Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/BeUnited, their website should be up very soon!