Organ recital to help hospice (From Stroud News and Journal)

Organ recital to help hospice

AN ORGAN recital with a difference is set to take place at Gloucester Cathedral later this month to help raise funds to build a new children's hospice for families in the county.

The cathedral's assistant music director, Robert Houssart, will play works from Bach, Mozart, Holst's Jupiter (The Planets) and organ improvisations at the fundraising event on Saturday, November 27th.

The audience will not only be able to hear this internationally-acclaimed organist but also to watch his hand and feet movements through large screens.

The Cheltenham Ladies' College Choir will also perform during the evening concert, which starts at 8pm. The choir's programme will include works by Britten, Lane and a selection of seasonal music.

Tickets are available from Gloucester Tourist Office on 01452 396572. A retiring collection will be held for Acorns Children's Hospice.

Acorns Children's Hospice is a charity which has been caring for life-limited children in Gloucestershire for the last 15 years, but their nearest hospice has been more than 60 miles away, in South Birmingham. Now Acorns is building a new state-of-the-art hospice, which will be a local lifeline for more than 80 Gloucestershire families with a life-limited child.

The hospice, complete with 10 bedrooms, multi-sensory room, hydrotherapy pool, family accommodation and an acre of landscaped gardens will offer respite breaks, emergency and terminal care

The new hospice will be completed at the end of the year and will welcome families early in 2005.