Isla's violin puts more notes in street children charity pot

Published on Tuesday 26 August 2008 10:34

IT reads more like the itinerary for part of Madonna's world tour.

But 11-year-old Isla Ratcliff can boast of performing in Moscow, Paris, Berlin and Helsinki after busking her way across Europe.

And the Broughton High School pupil proved a hit, collecting 200 from passers-by along the way.

Isla played the violin on street corners to raise money for destitute children in Ethiopia.

She did it during a sponsored cycle ride of more than 1000 miles across Europe with her mother Cathy Ratcliff and father Andy Wightman.

She wanted to help the Ethiopian street children after spending two years living in the African country because of Cathy's work with the charity Mercy Corps Scotland. During that time, she befriended an orphan called Teshfanish who sold paper tissues on the street to buy food.

Isla, who raised 2500 including her cycle sponsorship money, said: "I hope the money will be used to stop abuse towards the street children.

"I never thought I would raise so much money.

"I really wanted to see Russia because I went to a Russian school."

Isla was taught at the Russian embassy school in Addis Ababa during her time in Ethiopia.

The family, from Inverleith, hit on the idea of the cycle ride after planning a holiday in Moscow.

They decided "to be adventurous" and cycle back to Edinburgh after their holiday.

On the way to Moscow – by train and ferry – Isla busked in Paris, and Helsinki.

Then on the way home, the family took public transport from Moscow to Tallinn in Estonia and, starting on July 15, cycled up to 20 miles each day through Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, with Isla busking en route. They arrived in Edinburgh five weeks later. As well as carrying all their essentials and camping equipment, Isla's violin had to be transported from country to country.

She busked in Paris, Helsinki, Moscow, St Petersburg, Tallinn, Riga, Gdansk and Berlin.

Her father, writer Andy Wightman, has set up a website – buskingforstreetchildren.org – to encourage other people to support the cause.

The money they raise goes to the Students Supporting Street Kids charity.

Mr Wightman said: "I think it was difficult for Isla to see the street children in Ethiopia.

"We used to see them hanging around at street junctions selling paper tissues and we talked to one girl in particular about herself and her family.

"It made us realise that we all live in the same world but really we're living on different planets.

"I think Isla is mature for her age, but perhaps a lot of that is to do with living in a foreign country and going to a foreign school and being exposed to things that most children wouldn't be exposed to."