CHILDREN in the Cotswolds who act as carers for their disabled or ill parents will receive the musical opportunity of a lifetime this February.

Charity Gloucestershire Young Carers is teaming up with Bath Philharmonia Orchestra’s Music in Action education and outreach team to bring ‘We Care, We Sing’, an event offering five days of music workshops for 60 young carers in the county.

The children, whose lives are affected by being carers for their parents or siblings, will work with professional musicians, learning how to sing, play instruments and write their own songs.

These workshops will go out on a high as the children, some as young as eight, are to star in a concert with a 500 strong audience at Gloucester Cathedral.

Operations Manager for Gloucestershire Young Carers Ele Semadeni said it will be a fantastic opportunity for young carers across the county: “They are also going to write their own songs to perform on the night,” she said. “Wherever possible our charity encourages young carers to aspire to achieve in spite of their caring role and this will be an event that will clearly showcase such a project.

The concert, which will feature singers Craig Mather and David Webb, is on Friday, February 20 at 7.30pm, with the workshops taking place in the days before, during half term.

Tickets are free for parents and family members of the children involved.

Regular tickets for the public cost between £10-12 and will be sold through the Gloucester Cathedral box office.

All profits will go towards the Gloucestershire Young Carers charity.

Visit glosyoungcarers.org.uk for more.