Moonlight Concert fundraiser for Rural Aid at Canberra Grammar to buy 20 guitars for Boorowa Public

Rural Aid's 'Gift of Music' program is designed to bring happiness to children in rural and remote areas by providing them with musical instruments to either augment or establish rural school music programs.

The concert was a student-led initiative of Canberra Grammar School that began in 2018. This year, school vice-captain and Year 12 student Oliver Merchant took the lead, using the funds raised from the concert as a way of lending a helping hand to people who put meals on our tables.

"People forget the importance of Australian farmers," he said. "You don't realise what you have until it's gone and it's time to look at our own backyard to make a contribution to help people in rural communities. After all, we are one community."

Rural Aid general manager Wayne Thomson said: "We are asking all Australians who may have an instrument no longer in use, to consider donating it so we can share the resources with those that need them. The gift of music can change a child's life and the gift of an instrument to a rural school in need, can change many children's lives. Much needed monetary donations - which are fully tax deductible - purchase instruments that are on teachers' request lists and/or the repair of useful donated instruments."

The Gift of Music program gives children access to life-changing opportunities which music provides in terms of socialisation in country towns, a new skill-set and the confidence, discipline and self-esteem which comes along with training and performance.

The instruments provided include ukuleles, guitars, percussion, strings, brass and woodwind, and come from schools committed to getting behind regional communities who are fundraising thousands of dollars to support disadvantaged school children.