THE popular Maesteg and District Male Voice Choir will be singing at Bolton's Victoria Hall on April 26 in aid of Bolton Life Education Unit.

The Gala Evening is being organised by the Rotary and Inner Wheel Clubs of Turton. Ivor Samuel, president of the Rotary Club of Turton and his wife, Mair, president of Inner Wheel, come from Maesteg so it was thought particularly appropriate that the choir should be invited during their terms of office.

More than one-third of the singers in the choir, whose ages range from 30 to 70, are former coal miners.

The choir has performed all over the UK, including before Royalty on several occasions, and have been invited to tour Southern Spain next year.

Last year they took part in The Last Night of the Proms and were the only male voice choir to sing before a huge audience in Hyde Park, with a live link to the traditional festivities at the Royal Albert Hall.

The programme in Bolton will include Men of Harlech, I Vow to Thee My Country, Scarlet Ribbons, Rhythm of Life, the Chorus of Hebrew Slaves (from Nabucco) , the Toreador Song and Cwm Rhondda.

Soloists are Sally Ann Kingsbury (soprano) and Byron Hughes (baritone). Norma Ridout is the Musical Director.

The evening will be compered by Rotarian Frank Lord.

Because of the generosity of Ivor Samuel in covering most of the expenses, all the proceeds from the concert will go to the Rotary charity Bolton Life Education Unit which is a high-tech mobile classroom used for educating primary school children about how their bodies function and the harmful effects of drugs.

Tickets for the concert which starts at 7 pm are available from the Town Hall, Bolton; Harker and Howarth, Folds Road; Booths Music, Churchgate and Frank Lord, 4 The Coppice Bolton, BL2 3EP.

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