Bournville Junior School pupils with their music coordinator Pete Haw and Hospice Community Fundraiser Jo Proudler
Hundreds of Children Come Together for Hospice Concert
Jan 28, 2011
More than 300 children from 10 Birmingham schools are teaming up to perform a much-loved classical music concert – and raise funds for the City’s only independent adult hospice.
The Romany Wood Children’s Concert takes place at Birmingham Town Hall on Sunday, February 13, and will be split over two 40-minute performances by children aged between seven and 13. Proceeds from the concert, the first of which starts at 3.15pm, will go to Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice.
Romany Wood has been performed to great acclaim in concert halls, cathedrals and schools around the UK. One of the 10 schools taking part locally is Bournville Junior School. A troupe of 40 children aged between seven and 11 years old are currently rehearsing for the show, which will be narrated by the BBC’s Nick Owen, who is patron of Birmingham St Mary’s.
The school’s Music Coordinator Pete Haw said the children were rising to the challenge: “Thanks to fantastic training these children are getting from parent/governor and trained opera singer Claire Vaughan, they are hitting some beautiful notes. I’m sure they are going to really impress when they go on stage to perform for real.”
Mr Haw added: “The children’s involvement is also a great way for them to learn about citizenship and help a very important local charity. We’re delighted to be a part of Romany Wood in aid of Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice.”
Described by Daily Mail pundit Quentin Letts as “England’s answer to Peter and the Wolf”, the project is aimed at introducing classical music to young people. Its associated Romany Wood Charitable Trust has made donations to children’s charities in the UK and overseas. The concert has been written by David Carr and the music composed by David Gaukroger.
Hospice Head of Fundraising Caroline Taylor said: “We’re really impressed by the number of schools that have got onboard for Romany Wood. It’s going to be a heart-warming, thoroughly entertaining afternoon which will appeal to all the family.
“I’d like to invite the people of Birmingham to come along. The tickets are on sale and the proceeds will make a real difference to people with life-limiting illnesses from Birmingham and Sandwell.”
Tickets for the concert are £10 for adults and £5 for children aged 15 and under and can be purchased from Jo Proudler at Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice on 0121 472 1191 or at joanne.proudler@bsmh.org.uk.
Alternatively, they can be booked through the Town Hall on 0121 780 3333 or online at http://www.thsh.co.uk/view/romany-wood
Since its launch in 1979, Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice has cared for tens of thousands of people with life-limiting illnesses, such as cancer, motor neurone disease and MS.
With around 52 percent of the hospice’s budget reliant on public goodwill, community fundraising is crucial to ensuring its highly specialised services can continue to be offered to the people of Birmingham and Sandwell.
In addition to a 25-bed inpatient unit, Birmingham St Mary’s boasts a 20-place day hospice and provides community care to people who wish to stay in their own homes.
The hospice also supports relatives with bereavement preparation, physiotherapy tuition and counselling in addition to many other services.
Annual running costs stand at £6.3 million, with around £1 million being raised in the hospice’s shops and £2.7 million via fundraising. The remainder comes from the NHS.
Birmingham St Mary’s nurses, often referred to by patients and relatives as ‘angels’, are renowned for going that extra mile to ensure people with terminal illnesses enjoy the best possible quality of life.
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