Night shelter friends drum up support

Highlanders, toddlers and a group of Dunedin musicians were on hand to help as the O-Taiko drumming group laid down a 24-hour fundraising beat at the weekend.

The Japanese-inspired drumming group spent 24 hours playing taiko drums for DRUMedin at the Regent Theatre, beginning at noon on Saturday, to raise money for Dunedin’s Night Shelter.

Members of the crowd, which ebbed and flowed but peaked at about 100, contributed about $1900 in gold coins  at the door, organiser Laura Cope said.

Another $2500 in website pledges was also expected to be received, she said.The drumming continued uninterrupted through the night as members of O-Taiko went without sleep to support the fundraising effort, she said.

Audience members were also invited on stage to participate, including a "squadron of toddlers" that arrived yesterday morning and were joined by three members of the Highlanders rugby squad, she said.

"The kids loved it. We just couldn’t get them off the drums."

The event would be repeated next year, she said.