ARHC Donation

Members of Ely Rotary Club visited Arthur Rank Hospice Charity on Tuesday 22 August to present a cheque for more than £12,000. 

The Rotary Club organised an evening of entertainment comprising the London Welsh Male Voice Choir and Waterbeach Brass, which took place on Saturday 13 May. Hosted in the stunning backdrop of Ely Cathedral, the evening was sold out, raising £12,430.92 to fund vital hospice care. 

The choir sang a combination of well-known Welsh choral songs, as well as music by modern composers such as Karl Jenkins and Leonard Bernstein. This was further complemented by a soloist from the choir performing "Somewhere" from West Side Story which was well received by guests. 

Waterbeach Brass added yet another dimension to the evening playing music by Richard Strauss and Jimmy Webb's McArthur Park. Their set also included a premiere of a piece called Beach, which was written by Steve Robson who was present in the audience. The song retells the history of Waterbeach featuring the monks who were known to have resided in the village, the sound of bombers highlighting the Second World War before the final movement brought the audience up to the present day concluding with a relaxing and peaceful modern piece. The concert drew to a close with an unforgettable resounding crescendo as the audience stood to sing the Welsh National Anthem, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau. 

The stirring sound of the male voices echoed around the Cathedral and the choir members, singing in English and Welsh, stood resplendent in their red jackets, complemented by the blue uniforms of the brass players.  

Co-organisers from Ely Rotary Club were Sue Thompson and Mike Axford. Sue Thompson said: "We are really pleased to be able to raise this much for Arthur Rank Hospice Charity, which has helped so many people from in and around Ely. We know that voluntary donations make a real difference to their resources. We are very grateful to our sponsors, especially Gowing & Hunt Ltd who covered some of our major costs”. 

Donna Talbot, Communications and Income Generation Director for Arthur Rank Hospice Charity, added “Over the years, Ely Rotary Club have generously invited us to benefit from a host of activities and this has to be one of the most impressive and most successful. Music is important in our work. It brings people together and it is often used in therapeutic ways during our care programmes. Whether music enables someone to express themselves or it unlocks a special memory, we recognise it is very powerful and often emotive. We are delighted when events like these are enjoyed by so many. We are overwhelmed that Ely Rotary Club and the incredibly kind audience have contributed to raise such a significant sum. We extend our gratitude to every person who attended, sponsored or donated in support of this celebratory occasion.”