For years someone I have never met has been rasing money to bring clean drinking water to schools in a region of Sri Lanka devastated by the Tsunami and civil war. Lack of clean water the schools was causing sickness and imparing learning. In extreme cases lack of clean water was killing children.

In 2017 some one else who I never met died. A friend of mine was given the honour of deciding how to use the money collected in lieu of donations to commemorate his life. My friend knew of the work being done in Sri Lanka and gave the money to have a "tube well" or pump installed in his name. My friend asked if I was interested in using a radio programme I present to help bring clean water to more schools. I remembered being at an event shortly after the Tsunami where instead of supporting fundraising for the relief effort the promoter announced that fundraising wasn't "our thing". Personally this was my chance to prove him wrong.

From this the Soul Therapy Pump appeal was borne. Through raffles, Sin Bin fines and donations the appeal has funded the installation of over 20 pumps "Powered by Northern Soul". In addition to this more pumps have been installed in memory of loved ones by people on the Northern Soul Scene.

In 2018 Ray France lost his battle against cancer. Ray was a much loved character on the Northern Soul Scene and his funeral was a real tribute to his life. During Ray's wake his wife Dianne told me that she wanted to donate the collection to the pump appeal. I was moved to tears by this and when she told me how much had been given for Ray I was astounded. It was a large enough sum to make a memorial as big as Ray by re instating the water supply, washing facilties and toilet blocks in a school serving over 250 children.

Unfortunately during the work we became aware that the roof and school room was in dire need of repair

Not wanting to spoil this project for a 'happeth of tar' I decided to chivvy the fund raising on by putting on my walking boots to do the 16 mile Penistone Boundary Walk.

So dig deep donate and let's literally raise the roof and do Ray proud.