Maasi warriors in Winchester

8:05am Saturday 19th July 2008

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MAASAI Warriors are due to visit a Winchester church this week to sing and dance.

One member of their group will then take part in a Question Time' style event with city politicians and the clergy.

It is taking place at All Saints' Church in Petersfield Road, Highcliffe, on Tuesday, July 22.

The warriors from Kenya are on a two-month tour of Britain. It includes two events in Hampshire, with the second one being a business workshop at Butser Hill.

Some of the warriors' engagements will involve speaking to firms as part of team-building exercises.

However, the one in Winchester is designed for the whole community. The warriors will be singing and dancing, and will tell residents about their life in Africa.

One of them will then join a panel to take questions from the floor on the subject of "community".

The other members will include Lib Dem county councillor, Pam Peskett, and Tory prospective parliamentary candidate for Winchester, Steve Brine.

Members of the clergy and Winchester police are also expected to attend, and the Rector of East Winchester, The Rev Paul Kennedy, will chair the group.

He said the warriors' visit came about thanks to a friend, Anthony Willoughby. He runs I Will Not Complain, a firm designed to inspire businesses to think differently and be ambitious.

Mr Willoughby is organising the event at Butser Hill, but also agreed to arrange their visit to Winchester.

Mr Kennedy said: "The aim of the evening at the church is to invite the community to reflect on what it means to be part of a community, and how ours compares with that of the Maasai warriors."

He added that the debate might continue later that evening at the Black Boy pub in nearby Wharf Hill.

He said: "I think some people will be heading to the pub afterwards. I don't know if they'll be keen on drinking alcohol, but some of the Maasai warriors might come down to the pub with us - you never know."

Entry to the event at the church is free and families are welcome. Doors open at 6.30pm, with the event due to start at 7pm. Donations will be welcome.