CONCERT organisers are hoping an evening at a Knutsford church will be music to the ears of The Welcome in Longridge and disadvantaged African children.

Classical songs, opera scenes and well-loved carols feature in the concert at St John’s Church, which has become a firm favourite in the town’s calendar.

For the fourth year running the church is to host ‘An Evening of Vocal Music’, which takes place on Thursday, December 20.

As in previous years, young local stars Jacob Phillips, Lenny Turner and Eleanor Woods will be joined by some of Jacob’s fellow students from the Royal Academy of Music in London.

Jacob’s idea to bring classical vocal music into the community and make it accessible to everyone, including children, and the concert is the highlight of Christmas for many of those who attend.

“Every year we raise money for charity. In previous years these have included CLIK Sargent and CRY, and last year more than £1,000 was raised for Cystic Fibrosis,” said Jacob.

“This year we hope to raise even more for two charities - The Welcome Community Centre in Longridge, and Brass for Africa, which aims to transform the lives of disadvantaged children and young people in Africa through music education.

“The concert promises to be a magical start to the festive season and we hope as many people can come and join us as possible.”

The concert begins at 7.30pm, with doors open at 7pm. Refreshments will be served, and tickets are £8, and concessions £5, with under 12s being admitted free.

Tickets will be on sale at in Waitrose in Knutsford on Sunday morning, December 2. Alternatively call 07866 992145 or 07729 862730.

The Brass for Africa story began in 2009 when founder Jim Trott was helping to store 30 old and well-used brass instruments while waiting for his son to finish playing in his junior brass band.

On finding the instruments were surplus to requirements and destined for the scrapheap, Jim, a British Airways pilot, set about finding a new home for them on his next work trip to Kampala.

Brass for Africa now supports more than 1,000 children and young people in Uganda every week through brass music education.