A Standing Ovation for Darrell Davison

What a night to remember!

Darrell Davison conducts the Croydon Symphony Orchestra for the final time

We were absolutely delighted to join Croydon Symphony Orchestra and Darrell Davison for his final concert as conductor. It was a joyful and deeply moving evening full of music, community and generosity, marking an incredible 34 years of Darrell as Musical Director!

Darrell Davison and Mikhail Andreev

“The orchestra pulled out all the stops and played like I’ve never heard before. Mikhail Andreev, just fourteen, was the astonishing soloist in Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, playing with incredible maturity. No wonder there was a standing ovation,” says Andrew Coleman, who volunteered on the night of this Valentine’s concert.

Ali Mbugua, Chief Operations Officer at International Needs UK, Darrell Davison and Tony Tyrrell

Darrell has raised over £50,000 for the work of International Needs over the years through his concerts. These funds have helped vulnerable families around the world from Nepal to Burkina Faso. We are so grateful for this partnership and the impact it has had.

Darrell and Croydon Symphony orchestra stand for the audience’s applause

At this special final concert, all funds raised are helping disabled children in Uganda access education, mobility support and inclusion. Darrell set us a challenge on the night: to raise £2,300 to add to the £2,700 already given, reaching a £5,000 total…

We are thrilled to share that, following the concert, a phenomenal £2,954 has been raised: meaning we have surpassed the £5,000 target! Thank you so much to everyone who gave so generously, both on the night and online.

We are also incredibly grateful to our wonderful volunteers – Tony, Andrew, Averil, Amy and Ros – who made it all possible. From sharing about the work of International Needs, to reconnecting with long-standing supporters and collecting donations, your time and heart for the cause made a real difference.

Tony Tyrrell, chair of International Needs UK, thanks Darrell Davison for his commitment

As Ali Mbugua, Chief Operations Officer at International Needs UK, shared on the night:

“William is 14 years old. And until recently, he had never entered a classroom. Born with multiple disabilities, his dream of going to school seemed impossible. His parents didn’t believe he could. Life prospects for disabled people in Uganda can be bleak, with only 9% attending primary school.

In communities where disability is considered a curse, disabled children are often hidden, neglected, and can even be abused. We are supporting partners in Uganda to change this. Together, we want these children to flourish, fully participating in community life.

Mothers and their children, Uganda, 2025

We are training teachers in disability inclusion through sports and in the classroom. We are teaching families about disability and helping them support their disabled children. We are providing mobility aids, learning aids and medical care. We are seeing changed mindsets about disability, in the home, the classroom, and the community. We are seeing disabled children growing in confidence, joy and ability.

For William, he has a wheelchair that helps him make the journey to school each day, he is welcomed into school and celebrated. He can count and participate in classroom activities, and also enjoys interacting with his peers. His teachers describe him as a determined and cheerful learner who inspires others through his resilience.”

Two brothers participate in the Sports Festivals in Uganda, where children of all abilities can take part, 2025

It costs:

• £10 to train a teacher in disability inclusion for a day
• £46 to help a school make accessible sports equipment from local materials
• £76 to help a school participate in a disability inclusive sports festival
• £200 to buy a child a wheelchair

Together, we are helping children like William, who, at 14 years old, is attending school for the very first time and has been given the chance to flourish in confidence, joy and opportunity. We want to help 3,000 children like William, can you help make that possible?

If you haven’t yet had the chance to give, there’s still time to be part of this life-changing work: Link to Disability inclusion Project donation page

Thank you so much for your support.

It was great to see so many loyal supporters at the concert, both supporting Darrell and IN UK.

Tony Tyrrell, Board Chair of IN UK had the opportunity to share a few words on the amazing contribution of Darrell through his fundraising over the years. We presented Darrell with a certificate as a small gesture of appreciation for his phenomenal commitment and fundraising. We were moved by all the lovely words shared about Darrell’s musical talent, leadership, community building and friendship for so many over the years. It was an honour to be part of the celebration.

Thank you to the Croydon Symphony Orchestra for using your extraordinary musical gifts not only to create such memorable evenings, but also to make a lasting difference for those in need. And thank you, Darrell Davison, for your phenomenal commitment, inspiring leadership and faithful friendship over so many years. Your impact will be felt far beyond the concert hall!

Darrell Davison walking to the stage

“What a fantastic evening I had at Trinity School Croydon on Valentine’s Day. The hall was packed for Darrell Davison’s last concert with Croydon Symphony Orchestra after 34 years. What made it extra special was that once again they were raising funds for International Needs’ Disability Inclusion Project in Uganda.

After the interval Ali spoke clearly and passionately about IN’s disability inclusion project and thanked Darrell for CSO’s long standing partnership with IN. She is so good at this and went down very well with the audience.

I was one of the IN volunteers chatting to concert goers and encouraging online or cash donations. I was amazed by the generosity of notes stuffed into our collecting tins. I gather the concert raised over £5000 for International Needs. I loved the evening: the emotion, the music, the generosity and the privilege of being part of the IN team.”

– Andrew Coleman, volunteer for International Needs UK.

Written by Zoë Atherton, Communications Officer at International Needs UK