Concert to support Painswick church and local mental health services

A concert of light classics is being held in support of Wotton Lawn Hospital, Gloucester and St Mary’s Church, Painswick - with the church as the venue - at 7.30pm on Saturday 6 September 2008.

Musicians performing include the Gloucester Concert Charter Band. Comprising musicians of all ages and abilities, the band will perform Mozart’s “The Young Amadeus”; a Thomas Dosus arrangement of St. Florian’s Choral; a JS Bach arrangement of Ariso; Hanover Hymn (as arranged by Jan de Haan) and Fred Mills’ arrangement of Pachelbel’s Canon.

Sharing the programme are the popular concert band Shimmering Flutes, who will play an arrangement of tunes from Rogers and Hammerstein’s “The Sound of Music, as well as Scott Joplin’s The Entertainer; Ricky Lombardo’s the Circus March and The Cachucha from Sullivan’s The Gondoliers.

Vicky Phillips, cellist, will play Faure’s Elegie and baritone, Douglas Barnes - accompanied by his daughter, Suzanne - will perform Handel’s Art Thou Troubled; Cesar Franck’s Panis Angelicus; Roger Quilter’s Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal Roger and The Vagabond by Vaughn Williams.

St. Mary’s Church, Painswick is famous for the ninety-nine yew trees in its churchyard, which were planted around the end of the eighteenth century with it being said that every time a hundredth tree is planted it dies. Each year on the Sunday after the feast of the nativity, Painswick children encircle St. Mary’s, join hands and perform a dance not unlike the hokey-kokie. During the dance a “clypping” song is sung which is believed to express the parishioner’s love of the church.

Frankie Marsh, St. Mary’s Church Warden said:

“We’re delighted to be the venue for what I know will be a most enjoyable evening. A lot of hard work has gone into the organisation of this concert and we are grateful to everyone involved. The funds raised for St. Mary's will be used for the outreach work we carry out in the vicinity of Painswick.”

Elaine Ellis, Charge Nurse, Kingsholm Ward, Wotton Lawn Hospital and one of the event’s organisers said:

“Mental health problems are among the most common of all health conditions, with one in four people experiencing some kind of mental health problem in the course of a year. This may range from the worries we all can experience as part of everyday life, to serious long term conditions.

“At Wotton Lawn Hospital we provide treatment and care for people aged between 18 and 65 years of age who are experiencing a serious mental illness, where their care needs or circumstances mean they cannot for the time being be treated or supported at home.

“We provide care and treatment on a multi-professional team basis, with the team including nurses, psychiatrists, social workers and therapy staff.

Joy Gardner, Kingsholm Ward Manager and fellow event organiser said:

“It is wonderful that Wotton Lawn Hospital has been chosen to be a beneficiary of the St. Mary’s concert - we intend to use the funds raised to provide additional facilities for Wotton Lawn Hospital patients.”

Tickets, which are £8 and include light interval refreshments, are available from:

- St Mary’s Lychgate Office, 01452 814795
- The Chairman Antiques Shop, New St. Painswick
- Elaine Ellis, Charge Nurse, Kingsholm Ward, 01452 891559

Please contact Deborah Richards, Communications Manager, ²gether NHS Foundation Trust, 01452 891094 or 07919111736 or deborah.richards@glos.nhs.uk to confirm your place at the photo call or obtain further information.