CIRENCESTER Choral Society’s Christmas Concert on December 19 in the Parish Church of St John The Baptist promises an evening of first class entertainment and is also raising money for local charities.

Gloucestershire’s largest parish church is a fitting location for the Society’s biennial charity concert which this year will support Citizens Advice Cotswold District.

In addition to favourite traditional carols for both choir and audience, Judith Paris, the Cirencester-born and nationally accomplished actress of stage and screen, will entertain with seasonal readings.

To complete the programme, there will be a performance from talented young violinist Hannah Brooks-Hughes, winner of the Gloucestershire Young Musician of the Year 2017 competition.

Hannah is a former leader of the National Children’s Orchestra and has played alongside international star Nicola Benedetti at Birmingham Symphony Hall.

For its charity concert the Society looks to support a locally-based charity with a broadly based remit and Citizens Advice Cotswold District, the new name for our local Citizens Advice service, certainly meets these criteria.

The Society hopes that the concert will help draw attention to the valuable work Citizens Advice does in the District.

CEO of Citizens Advice Cotswold District, Sally Pickering, welcomed the focus on the advice service that the concert brings.

She said: “In these difficult times of financial restraint and uncertain futures, the advice that our volunteer advisers and paid specialist staff give helps to improve the lives of many of our fellow citizens.”

She added: “We are most grateful for this additional support from CCS which will help us to maintain and improve our service”.

Another local charity, CHYP, will be serving refreshments during the interval to help raise funds for their work in providing housing for the homeless young in Cirencester.

  •  Tickets from members of the Society, from Cirencester Visitor Information Centre (01285 654180), or from the Cotswold Citizens Advice office at 2/3 The Mews, Cricklade Street (Monday-Thursday 10am-3pm).