Pupils play key role in charity’s festive fundraiser

Pupils from a Crosby school played a key role in a prestigious festive fundraising concert at Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral.

The chamber choir from St Mary’s College, and the show choir from its preparatory school, were among the star attractions at the Christmas carol concert in support of the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen Hospitals’ R Charity.

Also raising their voices in seasonal song were Liverpool Community Choir and the choir from the city’s Archbishop Blanch School, as part of a programme that also included Merseyside’s premier brass performers, the Rainford Band.

The concert also featured two solo performers, 16-year-old Welsh soprano Rhian Carys-Jones and Aimee Clare, a senior member of the R Charity’s fundraising team.

St Mary’s link with the Royal Hospital began three years ago when the preparatory school was one of a number of schools invited to entertain patients, visitors and staff by performing a selection of popular carols in the hospital foyer in the run-up to Christmas.

Following on from this, the show choir has been asked to make return appearances at the carol concert each year, bringing their older colleagues from the college chamber choir with them.

The aim of the annual concert is to help audience members to remember a loved-one at a special time of year, and also to generate a significant sum for the new Royal Hospital, which is currently being built.

The R Appeal target is to raise £10 million to fund state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment to help patients suffering from cancer and heart disease, and to also save the sight of many Merseysiders.

St Mary’s College principal, Mike Kennedy, said: “It was a real honour for us to be invited to take part in this prestigious concert for a third time.

“Once again our talented pupils sang their hearts out to raise money for the new hospital, an exceptionally good cause which is now close to becoming a reality.”