A SCHOOL choir from Bury St Edmunds is working hard to raise extra money to pay for a Spanish tour - after the credit crunch blew a �2,000 hole in its budget.

By Mark Crossley

A SCHOOL choir from Bury St Edmunds is working hard to raise extra money to pay for a Spanish tour - after the credit crunch blew a �2,000 hole in its budget.

Fifty-strong Ex Silentio, from King Edward VI Upper School, plan to travel to Alicante next month.

Deputy headteacher Wynn Rees said: “This will be an exciting opportunity for the choir to spend a week immersed in a different culture and giving concerts in a number of venues in and around Alicante.

“The tour has been planned for a long time but we have fallen foul of the unfavourable pound/euro exchange rate and find ourselves struggling to fund the trip.

“We need to make a couple of thousand pounds to compensate for the shortfall caused by the currency rates.”

Members of the choir, who have busked in Cambridge and washed cars, now plan their biggest fund-raiser, an auction of promises.

Goods and services donated by choir members, their parents, school staff and others are on offer:-

- Two concert tickets to see Mercury Music Prize-nominated Laura Marling at the Royal Festival Hall onAugust 11

- A picnic excursion in a vintage car

- Two wine-tasting events for up to 20 people

- Cricket coaching with qualified and experienced coaches

- A celebration cake specially made for the highest bidder

- Treatment for a phobia or anxiety, including fear of spiders or mice, fear of public speaking, fear of flying, food addiction or problems with smoking and alcohol

- A vocal quartet to entertain at an event

- Services of a chef for a day to prepare and serve an authentic Spanish meal.

- A series of three piano lessons for a beginner or more experienced player

- Two tickets for the Fat Cat Comedy Club

- A meal for two at The Grid restaurant, Abbeygate Street

- Drum tuition with the percussion star of the school's staff band

- Two hours of gardening

- Four adult vouchers for Cineworld

- Ex Silentio to perform at an event

- French. German, Russian or Spanish language classes

- Physiotherapy consultations

- Guitar tuition for beginners

- A Hand-knitted hat

- An original song written and recorded for the winner.

For more details of the lots and how to bid, email Mr Rees via rs@king-ed.suffolk.sch.uk or visit www.king-ed.suffolk.sch.uk. The deadline for bids is 9am on Wednesday, May 20.