Choir sings for cancer charity

FEBRUARY 14: The choir sang for a local cancer charity at its first concert of the year on Saturday.  Benefitting from the superb acoustics of St Marks, Woodcote, it received rapturous applause from an enthusiastic audience.  

Choir chair Kim Ormond with SECHC's Eleanor Appleton

Music director Richard Hoyle selected a range of pieces from the choir’s current repertoire, including a first public outing for the challenging and evocative Seal Lullaby by the American choral composer Eric Whitacre.

Choir chair Kim Ormond handed a cheque for £572 to Eleanor Appleton, community fundraiser for the South East Cancer Help Centre, which the choir had collected during its two Christmas sessions at the Whitgift Centre, in addition to proceeds from the concert. Eleanor thanked the choir both for its help and for its splendid singing.  

The centre, based in Purley, provides support to cancer patients and their families – among them choir bass Peter Smith, who spoke movingly about the value of the centre and its importance to the community.