SPONSORS are lining up for a concert to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Relief.

Bedale Festival Choir is holding the concert on Saturday, November 13, in St Gregory's Church.

The centrepiece of the evening will be a performance of the Mozart Requiem and retirement home builders McCarthy and Stone are sponsoring Robert Green, who plays the organ continuo in the piece.

Mr Green, a former head of music at Ripon Grammar School, is also the soloist in Poulenc's Concerto for Organ, Strings and Timpani, which will close the first half of the concert.

Other soloists with local connections are tenor Robert Thompson, from Ripon, bass David Milner-Pearce, from Easingwold, and Opera North soprano Stephanie Allman.

They will be joined by Sony Classical recording artist Summer, whose appearance is with the support of Sir John Ropner and family of Thorp Perrow.

Other sponsors include The Making Real Solutions consultancy, of Ainderby Steeple, The Old Black Swan Inn, of Bedale, and Bathrooms Direct, of Leeming Bar.

Tickets cost £12 and are available from Towlers Newsagency and Inglenook Arts and Crafts, in Bedale, Greensleeves music shop, in Northallerton, Specials, of Leyburn, and choir director Richard Boyton on (01677) 425800.

Published: 16/10/2004