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Busking for Baum

Press release issued: 19 November 2003

Bristol University staff and students will be busking in the streets this Saturday [November 22] to raise money for the David Baum Memorial Appeal.

Bristol University staff and students will be busking in the streets this Saturday [November 22] to raise money for the David Baum Memorial Appeal.

David Baum, Professor of Child Health at Bristol University, died on 5 September 1999 from a heart attack.  He was taking part in a sponsored cycle ride to raise money for child health services in Kosovo and Gaza. David Baum was an international pioneer of child health, promoting the well-being of children all over the world.

All money raised from Saturday's event will go towards funding the new David Baum Chair in International Child Health.

The new Professor will take a leading role in the establishment, development and maintenance of teaching and research in the field of International Child Health.

He or she will be a leader and role model in international child health locally, nationally and internationally, focusing on the needs of children in areas of social and economic deprivation, and the effects on children of man-made and natural disasters.  Key activities and research areas will include the alleviation of the effects of poverty on child health, infectious disease and international vaccine trials.

The Chair will be a permanent commemoration of Baum's endeavours in the field of international child health.  To fund this Chair, the Appeal is seeking to raise £560,000 for the first five years, after which time the University will fund the Chair in perpetuity.

Professor Gareth Williams, Dean of Medicine and Dentistry, who will be busking on Saturday, said: "David Baum had considerable success both in raising awareness of children's needs and in devising novel approaches to the care of children in difficult and disadvantaged situations. Very sadly, he was unable to complete his lifetime's work, but the new Chair, named in David's memory, gives the University an opportunity to continue this work where David left off."

Buskers and singers taking part in Saturday's fundraising event include:

A 12-piece choir will be singing in The Centre, by the fountains, from 11 am to 1 pm, followed by The Barley Rye Choir from 1 to 3pm.

A five-piece band will be playing in the centre of Broadmead from 12 noon to 3 pm.

The Maxwell House Band, a five-piece jazz band, will be playing near St Nicholas Market, Corn Street, from 12 noon to 3 pm.

A string quartet will be playing by the Wills Memorial Building, Queen's Road, from 11 am to 1 pm.

A flute and guitar duet (Andrew Dick, Professor of Ophthalmology and Professor Gareth Williams, Dean of Medicine and Dentistry) will be playing jazz near the Watershed from 12 noon to 3 pm.

A guitar soloist will be playing outside the Arcade, Boyces Avenue, Clifton Village, from 12 noon to 3 pm.

If you would like to make a donation to the appeal, go to www.bris.ac.uk/davidbaumappeal/donation.html or contact Beth Spears on Bristol 928 9902.

 

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