Feel the love for charity appeal

Bamber Bridge-based construction and civil engineering firm Eric Wright Group is donating £1,500 sponsorship in support of the charity’s Candlelight Concert in Blackburn Cathedral on Thursday February 11.

The concert is being compered by BBC Radio Lancashire’s John Gilmore and headlined by local award-winning soprano Grace O’Malley.

Also on the bill are Preston Cecilian Choral Society and the jazz band of Lancaster’s Ripley St Thomas CE Academy.

The event, now in it’s sixth year is the highlight of Rosemere’s annual Valentine’s Appeal, the charity’s big fundraising push of the year.

Last year’s concert raised more than £5,000.

The charity is aiming to raise £50,000 through variety of events and initiatives through the month-long appeal, which this year has a ‘Love to’ theme.

Rosemere’s Corporate Fundraising Manager Paula Richardson said: “We are very grateful to Eric Wright Group for its continued support of our appeal concert.

“Its help makes a tremendous difference to the money the concert is able to raise for us.

“It means that the venue costs, artists’ expenses and programme costs involved in the concert’s staging can all be taken care of so that money raised through ticket sales can go directly to the Valentine’s Appeal account to be spent on projects and services to help local cancer patients, which is exactly what our supporters want to see happen.”

Jim Carter, Deputy Chairman at Eric Wright Group, said: “Last year’s Valentine’s concert was a magical night and we’re delighted to once again be involved with this and Rosemere’s Valentine’s Appeal as a whole in 2016.”

Community groups and individual fundraisers are all being invited to join in with the Valentine Appeal, taking part in a sponsored run, swim or fitness challenge to baking and coffee mornings

Alternatively, those who sing in a choir, play music, dance, go to pottery or art classes, play darts, dominoes or chess are being asked to put on a fundraising show, exhibition or tournament.

Rosemere Chief Officer Sue Thompson said: “We know that a lot of our supporters have struggled over the festive period with floods and lousy weather so we thought what better way could there be to cheer in the lighter evenings that February brings than by asking people to just do something they love and if that can help raise a few pounds for charity, all the better.”

Rosemere is able to help with organisational tips plus support materials from T-shirts and sponsor forms to bunting and balloons.

To contact the charity, call 01772 522913. This same number can be used to buy candlelight concert tickets, which range in price from £5 to £25 per person.

The most expensive tickets are inclusive of a pre-show drinks and canapes reception.