RUGBY fever is running high in Specsavers Penarth as the store plays host to a rugby-themed choir.

Visiting the optical and Hearcare group’s 35 stores across Wales, the ‘Specsavers Choir’ will visit the Windsor Road store on Saturday, August 1, to perform a one-off, four-hour concert to build on Penarth’s excitement ahead of the start of the Rugby World Cup matches in Wales.

Frank Moloney, director of Specsavers in Penarth, said: "Wales is renowned for its passion and enthusiasm when it comes to both singing and rugby, and the success of our sporting teams and choirs has helped to put Wales firmly on the global map for decades.

The Specsavers Choir is a great reminder that Wales has been celebrated for its choral talents long before it became a rugby superpower. And so, in the lead up to one of the world’s biggest sporting events, when the eyes of the rugby world will be on the UK, we wanted to combine Wales’s most renowned cultural heritages and put on an afternoon of music in the local community to celebrate the occasion."

Made up of 12 Welsh choristers at every store performance, four Specsavers choirs will sing on weekends in August and September throughout Wales to fundraise for the Wales Deaf Rugby Union (WDRU).

Specsavers has worked closely with WDRU since 2012 when it confirmed a three-year sponsorship deal with the charity. It is the official provider of audiology testing to the WDRU, as well as providing its players with state-of-the-art Bluetooth hearing aids.

Wales Deaf Rugby was formed in 1998, and the team won the inaugural and only World Deaf Rugby Championship held to date, in 2002, by defeating hosts New Zealand 28-14 in the final.

Frank Moloney added: "We’re delighted to be raising funds for the WDRU during our choir campaign.

"The money will be put towards the organisation’s community project, which aims to get children who are deaf or hard of hearing engaged in sporting activities and is something that we have actively supported for the last three years.

"We’re inviting all members of our community to enjoy this special performance with us as we look forward to a huge sporting occasion.

"The choir will be singing a variety of songs that our customers, regardless of age, will enjoy."

Members of the Penarth community can watch the Specsavers choir between 12pm and 4pm on Saturday, August 1.