Plans are underway for a special Worcestershire concert that hopes to raise hundreds of pounds for a Tanzanian village bakery.

The musical evening, which will feature a professional orchestra, will take place in St Michaels Church, Tenbury, on June 28th, and is being organised by Abberley Hall School at Great Witley.

The school have chosen to donate profits to the Ifakara Bakery Project in Tanzania, as well as the St Michaels church restoration fund.

The school’s director of music, Martin Schellenberg, explained that the bakery is run by the Sisters of St Francis and that they wanted to provide a staple food all year round to the local population especially when the harvest fails. The bakery now produces 400 loaves a day and provides local employment and makes a huge difference to the local population. The ‘Free Bread Funds’ are now reaching the wards of the malnourished children and TB patients in the District Hospital, the local Leprosy Centre, the Ifakara Orphanage, the Bethlehem Centre for children and others.

To enable the ‘free breads’ to continue £12,000 is needed in 2008. £20 will buy 118 loaves of bread. This concert will ensure that this food continues to be available to the people in Ifakara, where it is making a substantial difference.

He said: “It will be a very special evening. St Michael’s church is a wonderful setting and our Chapel Choir will be performing such favourites as ‘‘Zadok the Priest’’ by Handel and the “Nelson Mass” by Haydn. Also to be heard will be concertos by Telemann, Vivaldi and J. S. Bach’s famous ‘Ave Maria’, which will feature music scholars from the school performing the solo parts.

They will be accompanied by a professional orchestra and soloists including Sarah Westwood (soprano) and Susanna Spicer (contralto).

Tickets are £10 and may be purchased in advance from Abberley Hall, Worcestershire, WR6 6DD by ‘phone 01299 896196 or at the door on the night.

For further information please contact
Martin Schellenberg on 01299 896196

The concert is in aid of the ‘Ifakara Bakery Project’, (Reg. Charity 1114531) Tanzania and the Church Restoration Fund.

For more information, both can be found as follows :-

www.ibpfreebread.com and www.smcsociety.co.uk