A Streatham bar is extending its community
spirit out to Nepal this spring by organising a world record breaking
gig at the Mera Peak in Kathmandu.
Oz
Bayldon, owner of The White Lion Hostel and Bar on Streatham High Road
is also the founder and trustee of the charity, Music 4 Children, which
he set up after seeing homeless and orphaned children in Nepal - the
casualties of the civil war.
The
White Lion isn’t your run-of-the-mill drinking hole, it hosts live
bands in the bar on most evenings and has 70 rooms upstairs. The bar is
run by volunteers from the local community, who are passionate about
music and helping those less fortunate than themselves. The team runs a
weekly market and free workshops for children and adults along with
community events throughout the year. Everything in the bar has been
donated or recycled and the bar does not receive any external funding.
Oz
started his career as a musician and in 2005, along with a group of
fellow musicians, he claimed the title for the World’s Highest Gig,
performing at over 18,000ft up Mount Everest. Funds raised from
sponsorship went towards building an orphanage for up to 56 children.
Since
then a German band has broken the record and Oz now plans to win it
back by climbing even higher and performing at the Mera Peak on 19th
May.
On
Wednesday, 25th April, Oz and his team performed a special gig while
abseiling down from the White Lion roof in order to raise awareness and
sponsorship prior to the Kathmandu trip