The carnival isn't over for Sunshine Panners
Last updated 16:51, Thursday, 20 November 2008
A SCHOOL steel band’s trip to the Caribbean has been rescued from the scrap heap by a former pupil.
The collapse of tour operator XL earlier this year seemed to have put paid to the Sunshine Panners’ excursion to the Mardi Gras festival in Trinidad and Tobago.
All bookings had been made through XL, and it seemed the trip by the Haydon Bridge High School youngsters was off.
However, in stepped former pupil Pamela Rutherford, who works at the Hexham branch of travel agents Dawson and Sanderson.
Pamela and her colleagues completely re-booked the whole excursion, finding new flights and alternative accommodation.
Pamela said: “With it being one of the world’s biggest carnivals, a lot of flights and hotels were already full but we were determined to get them there.
“As a former Haydon Bridge pupil myself, I know how fantastic The Sunshine Panners are.
“We wish them all the best at the carnival next year.”
The Sunshine Panners, formed at Haydon Bridge High School in 1996, will join thousands of other bands and performers for celebrations in February that are second only in size to the Rio Carnival.
Around 21 young people from the high school are joining the carnival and have raised the funds for the trip themselves, by seeking donations and taking on odd-jobs.
The band are delighted their annual trip to the West Indies has been saved.
Co-ordinator of The Sunshine Panners, Barbara Mansfield said: “We’re really happy with Dawson and Sanderson because for a while, it looked liked we weren’t going to the carnival.
“This is the third time the group has been out to Trinidad and Tobago but the first time for many of the members, so it would have been heartbreaking if we hadn’t got there.
“But Dawson and Sanderson have done a fantastic job under very difficult circumstances.”
