Archbishop Desmond Tutu was in London last week and took out of his busy schedule to speak at a Nicro Trust charity event held at St Paul's on Wednesday night.

Tutu paid tribute to the work Nicro does in South Africa to rehabilitate young offenders and putting them on the path to a better life.

Tutu called on the media to focus on the positive achievements of South African youth, instead of only reporting on the negative aspects. He said the youth often succumb to various pressures, but that no one is beyond redemption and called on society to not lose faith in those who havestrayed. NICRO UK President Terry Waite CBE and Chairman Alastair Papps CB, both reiterated the Archbishop's thoughts on the youth of today, and delivered the message of NICRO - highlighting their efforts to build better futures for high risk youth in South Africa.The event was well attended, and included a spectacular performance by South African tenor Siphiwo Ntshebe, who received a standing ovation from the appreciative crowd.

A silent auction was held for John Fracis Gardner bronze bust of Archbishops Tut going to the highest bidder , Mr Simon Turner. Mr Turner's bid of £10 000 will go directly to help fund the NICRO YOuth Diversion and Development Programme in South Africa.

The next event on the charity's calender is the NICRO Trust Gala Dinner and Charity Auction. The event sees celebrity auctioneer Lord Jeffery Archer make an appearance for an evening of dinner and dancing. Tickets cost £ 100.

For further information on how to purchase tickets please contact Lorna Johnson at lorna@nicro.org.uk or 07958 475842.

On Saturday 22 March Siphiwo made his Royal Festival Hall debut when he sang arias with Puccini. His performance was greeted with many standing ovations by the capacity audience.

Through the spring season Siphiwo made numerous appearances, delighting and wowing audiences wherever he performed.

On the 13th of March he sang in Geneva at the Four Seasons Hotel for an exclusive event for an international law firm.

For the annual celebration of the Commonwealth, Siphiwo sang at the Commonwealth Secretariat at Marlborough House, hosted by The Commonwealth Secretary General in the presence of Baroness Amos. On the 16th April Siphiwo peformed at South Africa House on the occasion of the launch of the book "Footprints and Fingerprints", poetry by H.E Lindiwe Mabuza High Commisoner to South Africa at the Court of St Jame's. Siphiwo sang two settings for Her Excellency poems by the composer Paul Carroll. The complete song cycle of nine songs will be given its world premiere on Friday 26 September in a concert with the South African pianist Tessa Uys as part of the Fressing Field Music Festival. On the same night as the book launch Siphiwo sang for the Chairman of the Anglo American at the company's annual dinner at The Middle Temple in London.

During President Mbeki's visit to the UK in April Siphiwo sang for the South African president at a dinner given in his honour in London.

Siphiwo has had the great privilege of singing to Nelson Mandela on a number of ocasions and has always made a significant impression on the great man. Mr Mandela told siphiwo that "Your performances make us proud".

In this year, the year of Nelson Mandela's ninetith birthday, Siphiwo has been involved in a number of performances to mark this significant celebration.

In July Siphiwo sang the tenor solo in Beethoven's ninth symphonyin a performance in Liverpool Cathedralw with a full orchestra, a concert celebrating Mandela's birthday.

The Belgravia Gallery, Mayfair, hosted a private viewing of Nelson Mandela's lithographs and Siphiwo sang a number of operatic arias as well as the Xhosa's 'click' song.

The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University held an event to celebrate the induction of a new Vice-Chancellor. As this was Siphiwo's old university he sang for the evening.

Siphiwo is pictured above being interviewed for South African Television. Later in the afternoon he was interviewed for South African Radio both in English and Xhosa. In the same week, Siphiwo was interviewed by Zeinab Badawi for BBC Television Centre caused a sensation in the newsroom when he was invited to perform. The whole studio came to a stand-still when he sang a Puccini aria. These interviews can be viewed on Siphiwo's website www.siphiwo.org.