Murdered teacher’s legacy lives on through arts grants

GOOD CAUSES across Leeds are continuing to benefit from the legacy of much-missed schoolteacher Ann Maguire.

Nearly £18,000 is being distributed in the latest round of grants and bursaries by the Ann Maguire Arts Education Fund, set up following the teacher’s murder four years ago. Grant recipients include:

Black Health Initiative, which will help young people develop their songwriting and singing talents with a project called #Unsigned.

Invizible Circle Education, which is planning a live mixed art public performance designed to offer pathways into the creative industries.

St Mary’s Youth Theatre, which is hosting dance, singing and drama workshops for local children.

The other grant recipients are First Story, Elland Silver Youth Band, Garforth Brass Band, Heads Together Productions, Hunslet Club, Opera North and Leeds College of Music’s Saturday Music School.

Mrs Maguire’s daughter, Emma, said: “We have received many deserving applications and the quality and variety of projects was simply amazing.

“My mum’s legacy lives on through the young people and projects that we have had the privilege to support over these past four years and it has been an honour to see the positive effect on young people’s development through arts education that has ensued.”

Long-serving teacher Mrs Maguire, 61, from Moortown, was stabbed by a pupil while taking a lesson at Halton Moor’s Corpus Christi Catholic College in April 2014.

The Ann Maguire Arts Education Fund is managed by the Leeds Community Foundation charity and will reopen for applications in December.