Ashton raises £800 for New Start Charity with her end of year gig
Ashton Allen, a Level 3 Music Performance and Production student from Coleg Llandrillo, raised £800 for charity in memory of her stepdad Bayley who passed away from a lung condition last year.
Along with her friend Level 2 student Jenny, 19-year-old Ashton organised and hosted Symphony of Giving as her end of year project, creating much needed funds for New Start (Wythenshawe Hospital Transplant Fund).
The gig took place earlier in May at Theatr Alwyn at the college’s Rhos-on-Sea campus. Symphony of Giving featured a variety of local bands, all made up of Coleg Llandrillo students, including Bluefin, Amidarla, Anyway Champion, Assembly Point and Glass Angels. Coleg Llandrillo Music Tutor, James also took to the stage with his band Bluefin.
The last year has been a tough one for Ashton, who finishes college this summer. With her step father Bayley passing away last August, “It has been hard for me to not quit,” she said.
Ashton dedicated the gig to Baley, who she said “was genuinely the strongest person I've ever known in my whole life.”
“I couldn’t think of a better way to end my third and final year with a big end of year gig and just give everybody a chance to perform together one last time,” she added.
Nervous about her speech on the night, Ashton said “I felt like running away, but once I got half way through and took a deep breath I calmed down. It was amazing seeing how people reacted. I really felt the support and it made me feel that we did something great.”
Ashton now plans to take a year out to travel, spend time with friends and family and work on her music skills before heading off to university. “I’d love to live in the city at some point and learn more about the industry,” she said.
Well done Ashton, what a fantastic cause and a great way to end your college journey.
If you are interested in a career in the music industry, there’s still time to book your place for September. Visit our website to see the range of courses on offer: https://www.gllm.ac.uk/courses/music-and-music-technology
