YORK children’s charity The Island will transform the exterior of the Mansion House, in St Helen’s Square, York, into a hub of song on Saturday, December 8 for ChoirFest.

Four York choirs, In Harmony Ladies’ Choir, Stamford Bridge Singers, Acomb Community Choir and Lucy’s Pop Choir, will come together for this family-friendly event from noon to 4pm, with free entry for everyone.

Event organiser Ellen Cole says: “I am really grateful to Make It York and the Mansion House, who have supported me in arranging this ChoirFest. I strongly believe it will add that something extra special to the city-wide festivities. As this is a fundraising event for a York charity, we would appreciate any donations that the public can provide us with, however big or small.

“The money raised will be given to The Island, a charity that provides mentoring services for York children between the ages of eight and 13 who are struggling with their mental, emotional and/or social wellbeing.”

In Harmony Ladies’ Choir is a community choir founded in 2013 under the musical direction of Margaret Garvey; Stamford Bridge Singers sing a wide range of music, from classics to folk tunes and more besides, and Acomb Community Choir perform regularly at community events across the city.

Lucy’s Pop Choir will conclude the festival with festive Christmas tunes and upbeat, fun pop music to stir people into dancing. Musical director Lucy McLean has seen her choir grow from strength to strength since she founded it in 2013, resulting in the brand being franchised, leading to a second Lucy’s Pop Choir opening in York, one in Leeds and another in Peterborough.

Lucy says: “The choir absolutely love performing at Christmas and what better way to do it than by raising money for a local charity at the same time? We’ve been working really hard on our Christmas repertoire and we can’t wait to share it with everyone.”

For more information on the ChoirFest, go to theislandyork.org/ChoirFest.