A candlelit carol concert held in Marlborough College Chapel on Saturday December 14 has raised £6800 for the charity Hope and Homes for Children. This annual event is organised by the charity’s Vale of Pewsey Support Group
The concert was opened by a choir of 40 children from St Katharine’s, Burbage and Oare Primary Schools, led by Oare’s headteacher, Gudrun Osborn. An audience of over 600 enjoyed performances by the Great Bedwyn Choir, led by mezzo soprano, Fiona MacArthur, and the BlueBelles.
The evening also included professional singer, Nick Evans together with the young performers, singer Izzy Albery and oboist Noah Piercy. Chris De Souza played the chapel organ and the service was led by the Rev. Janneke Blokland.
Alison Netherclift, organiser and member of the Vale of Pewsey Support Group, told marlborough.news, “Thanks go to all our performers who generously gave their time to make the concert a success. A special thanks to our sponsors including Kim Vine, Rick Stein, Henry George and the photographer Nigel Ferris.
“We hope you will be able to join us in 2020 when our concert will be held in the chapel on December 19.”
The charity Hope and Homes for Children finds alternative, high quality family based care for vulnerable children, who otherwise would be in orphanages. Their work is now recognized as best practice by UNICEF and the World Health Organisation.
The charity develops family support services and establishes robust fostering and adoption networks. And it has a local connection.
Colonel Mark and Caroline Cook, who lived in West Stowell, near Marlborough founded the charity after their experience of Bjelave orphanage, in Bosnia. The charity now works with children in Africa and Eastern Europe.
St John’s Academy student is National Schools Rackets champ
