IOM Press Release

WARRINGTON MALE VOICE CHOIR - SEPTEMBER PRESS RELEASE

MUSICAL TREAT IN STORE TO AID LIFEBOATS

‘I am pleased and delighted to have been invited to host this very worthy event. The Warrington choir has worked hard to make all the arrangements so that the Island’s Lifeboats can benefit.' - Moira Anderson

The Royal Hall, Villa Marina, will resound to the sounds of some of the UK’s finest musicians on Saturday 30^th September. In a special gala charity concert arranged by the Warrington Male Voice Choir, arranged in co-operation with Douglas Lifeboats, all the Isle of Man’s RNLI stations are set to benefit.

Travelling to the Island with the award-winning choir and recent UK National Male Voice Choir Champions, will be the famous Wingates Brass Band from the Bolton area of Lancashire. Currently the French Open Champions for the second year running, the band has been British National Brass Band Champions seven times and four times British Open Champions. The band has a remarkable following in the brass band world.

Hosting the event will be the renowned Scottish singing star of television and radio, Moira Anderson OBE, who has her home in Ramsey. Moira has been a household name for four decades, and previously presented ‘Stars On Sunday’ and the annual Service of Remembrance from the Royal Albert Hall. She has appeared by Royal Command at the London Palladium on a number of occasions and is well-known for her efforts for charity.

A late addition to the line-up is Vincent Billington, an internationally acclaimed concert pianist, who has appeared with the BBC Northern Symphony, Hallé, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Birmingham, and BBC Welsh orchestras. He has accompanied many famous singers and performers, including the late Max Jaffa, and frequently provides musical support for the lectures of Terry Waite CBE, the Warrington male choir’s Patron. Terry Waite visited the Island last year with the choir, supporting Hospice Care and Ronald McDonald House.

Vernon Lightbody, Chairman of Douglas Lifeboats, said: ‘The concert is called ‘FOR THOSE IN PERIL…’ and promises to be very special and a wonderful treat for the Isle of Man. The performers are providing the Lifeboats with a marvellous opportunity to promote and fund the RNLI’s ‘Train One, Save Many’ initiative. A raffle for RNLI will also be held during the evening and Geoff Corkish, Steam Packet Communications Manager, will run this. Now we are appealing to the Manx public to give their support, to ensure that the generous efforts of the musicians are rewarded by having a full house to play to on 30^th September.’

Moira Anderson added: ‘I am pleased and delighted to have been invited to host this very worthy event. The Warrington choir has worked hard to make all the arrangements so that the Island’s Lifeboats can benefit. The choir has a formidable reputation for its charity work, for its prison concerts with Terry Waite, and for its efforts since 1993 to promote peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland. I have appeared with the choir on two previous occasions in Warrington and am really looking forward to this next concert.’

Tickets for the gala charity concert are still available from the Villa & Gaiety Box Office (tel. 694555).

For a review, by the web administrator, of this concert, have a look at RNLI Concert 2006