THE DOWNS Malvern raised an incredible £12,000 at their charity concert in aid of beloved former teacher, writes Hannah Taylor.
The event supported MacMillan Renton Unit at Hereford County Hospital, in acknowledgement of the care given to former teacher Stéphanie Ingram, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year.
A 120-strong mass choir, including former teachers and pupils, gave a remarkable performance on the evening.
Unbelievably, their only rehearsal altogether was on the evening of the concert.
Stéphanie herself performed within the choir and had also helped secure donations from over 30 local businesses for the evening prize raffle.
Head of creative arts at The Downs Malvern, and one of the event’s organisers, Lesley Hunter, said: “We were overwhelmed by the success of the concert.
“We played to a packed hall and have gone on to raise an incredible £12,000.
“We put out an appeal for performers and almost 80 singers came back to join in.
“Some hadn’t sung in a choir since they were pupils, while others had gone on to study music, so it was a real mix.
“The final item was the mass choir.
“We’d sent out information in advance but they only came together at 2:30pm that day, and they did an incredible job, accompanied by an instrumental ensemble also formed on the day.”
The Downs Malvern’s sister school, Malvern College, helped to raise almost half of the total by completing the ‘Race the Sun’ challenge.
Brave students raced over 200 miles across the country, from a mystery location in Kent, to the Malvern Hills, without the use of technology or maps.
