Music festival proceeds to go towards autism group

The Bermuda Music Festival is supporting the autism group BASE through the proceeds of tickets sales and a little celebrity persuasion.

Five dollars from every ticket sold over the three day festival will go towards BASE (Bermuda Autism and Support) run by Jenny Purvey. The minimum donation made by organizers Kingdom Entertainment Group and Oxford Communications will be $10,000.

And Grammy-Award winning singer Toni Braxton, whose seven-year-old son Diezel has autism, will promote autism awareness during her concert on September 2. Members of the audience will each ­receive a special autism awareness bracelet and Ms. Braxton will be supported on stage by Bermudian prodigy Malcolm Hollis.

The 10-year-old singer, who has autism, performed at last year’s Festival crowd with a version of the Jackson Five's I Want You Back. He also performed before legendary ­producer Quincy Jones and other stars at last October’s premiere of the late Michael Jackson's movie, This Is It at the Liberty Theatre.

Ms. Braxton  said: “I am delighted to use this opportunity to raise awareness of autism. Autism is the fastest-growing ­developmental disorder in the United States and I know from personal experience with my son Diezel the life-long consequences for individuals, family, and society.”