A CHOIR have raised £300 in support of Refugee Week with a concert inspired by the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

United was staged during Refugee Week on Monday, June 18, brought together works by American and British composers and was performed by Spectrum Singers at Dyffryn Gardens.

The event will raise money for charities Croeso Penarth and Sharedydd.

Musical director David Hutchings said: “We first performed this concert programme on the day of the Royal Wedding and it was amazing how many elements of the day were reflected in the music – from Californian blue skies and sunshine in a Beach Boys medley to a show-stopping Deep South spiritual worthy of Michael Curry. We even had a bit of McCartney to round off the evening.”

Crisis, the national charity for homeless people, was one of the charities chosen to benefit from donations marking the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. In line with the royal couple’s charitable causes, Croeso Penarth is working towards providing a safe home for a Syrian refugee family, whilst Sharedydd arranges temporary accommodation with volunteer hosts for those seeking asylum.

Baritone David Bacon supports Sharedydd and the Wales-wide Nation of Sanctuary project. He said: “With so many people world-wide fleeing conflict or persecution it’s great to be able to do something, however small, to help those who come to our locality to rebuild their lives and in time contribute to our community.

“So many members of the Welsh Assembly and government want to do what they can to provide a welcome to those seeking sanctuary here and so I was delighted that we could help in this year’s choral invitation to our annual ‘Sanctuary in the Senedd’ awareness-raising event.”

For more information on the event and the singers, visit spectrumsingers.org.uk