Talent Show raises a thousand pounds for charity

Last week, Carnegie College students and staff rocked, bopped and hip-hopped as they took part in the first ‘Carnegie’s Got Talent’ show. The College’s Gateway students came up with the idea of holding the contest as a fun way to raise money to aid the people of Haiti, 'still suffering from the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in January. The audience was amazed by the performances on the day which included singers and guitarists, along with dancing dogs, a rapper and a belly dancer. The judging panel for the event was made up of Head of School and Assistant Head of Carnegie’s School for Communities and Learner Development, Martin Laidlaw & Alison Gray & student representative Dean Johnstone. First prize was awarded to HNC Acting and Performance student Joseph Hannan aged 18 from Dunfermline, for a terrific rendition of ‘Empty Chairs at Empty Tables’ from Les Miserables. Joseph wowed the audience who demanded an encore. He was delighted with his trophy and £75 voucher. Runner-up was 62 year old Charles Stenger, an HNC Practical Journalism student. His soulful performance of ‘Cry me a river’ clearly impressed both the crowd and the judges. Charles admitted he had rehearsed quite a bit for the show, and said, “I wanted Joe to win, so didn’t mind being runner-up to him.”   The money raised from ticket sales and raffle will go to LemonAid, a Dunfermline-based charity that is currently involved with the relief effort in Haiti. The money will be used for much needed medical supplies. With other activities including a sponsored walk across the Forth Bridge that took place last Friday, the grand total will be in excess of £1,000. Photographs:  From Top  1 Martin Laidlaw, Charles Stenger, Joseph Hannan, Alison Gray 2 James, Craig, Rhuaraidh 3 Winner Joseph Hannan 4 Runner-up Charles Stenger 5 Students preparing to set off on their walk across the Forth Road Bridge Posted 3 May 2010