Pictured are: Ashley & Lily Bowkett, The Right Worshipful the Mayor of Gloucester & Mayoress, Linda Castle, The Sheriff & Deputy Mayor of Gloucester and Ian Castle, Sheriff’s Consort, Mark Pietroni, Deputy CEO of the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, The Very Reverend Andrew Zihni – Dean of Gloucester, Caron Bell, MC and ITV Reporter, Gillian Hayward, President The rotary Club of Cotswold Tyndale and Derek Aston, President Elect The Rotary Club of Cotswold Tyndale
On a balmy midsummer evening, over 300 guests gathered at the magnificent Gloucester Cathedral for a truly unforgettable celebration concert in aid of the Rotary Big Space Cancer Appeal. The event, held on 21st June, was a resounding success – bringing together exquisite music, heartfelt community spirit, and a shared mission to help transform cancer care in Gloucestershire.
The evening raised more than £3,200 for the Rotary-led appeal, which forms part of a wider £17.5 million initiative spearheaded by the Cheltenham and Gloucester Hospitals Charity. The Big Space Cancer Appeal is committed to creating a state-of-the-art Oncology Centre at Cheltenham General Hospital, and Rotary District 1100 has an aim to try and raise over £200,000 towards that goal. With over £84,000 already secured, this concert marked a significant step forward.
Guests were welcomed by Caron Bell, who graciously served as Master of Ceremonies, and were honoured to hear opening remarks from Professor Mark Pietroni, Deputy CEO of the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. His words highlighted the incredible impact that an improved Oncology Unit will have for both patients and NHS staff alike.
The musical programme was an extraordinary showcase of local talent, featuring two of Gloucestershire’s finest choirs—The Stuart Singers and The Dursley Male Voice Choir—alongside world-renowned Welsh baritone Mark Llewelyn Evans, who performed as the evening’s guest soloist.
Part One of the concert began with powerful and moving performances from the Dursley Male Voice Choir, including traditional favourites like Amoung the Dead Men, Danny Boy, Wellerman, and Kumbaya. Mark Llewelyn Evans then captivated the audience with a mix of cinematic and theatrical pieces, including Cinema Paradiso, a Rodgers & Hammerstein Medley, and Stars from Les Misérables. The Stuart Singers closed the first half with a rich, emotional blend of pieces from The Sound of Music and The Seal Lullaby to Somewhere Only We Know. (Those highlighted as clickable links will take you to YouTube videos of those pieces).
After a 30-minute interval in the Cloisters accompanied by a glass of wine, Part Two continued the magic. The Stuart Singers returned with a vibrant set including The Best of Neil Diamond, Broadway Blast and One Moment in Time. Mark Llewelyn Evans stunned once again with passionate renditions of On the Road to Mandalay, Myfanwy and Toreador. The Dursley Male Voice Choir brought the concert towards its crescendo with stirring arrangements of The Way We Were, Skye Boat Song, Cavatina, and Bui Doi from Miss Saigon.
The grand finale was a collaborative performance featuring all artists—Evans, both choirs, and their accompanists—united in harmony with Harbour and Anthem from Chess, (The YouTube video starts with Bui Doi from Miss Saigon leading into the finale itself) leaving the audience deeply moved and on their feet in applause.
Pictured are: Ashley & Lily Bowkett, The Right Worshipful the Mayor of Gloucester & Mayoress, Linda Castle, The Sheriff & Deputy Mayor of Gloucester and Ian Castle, Sheriff’s Consort, Mark Pietroni, Deputy CEO of the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, The Very Reverend Andrew Zihni – Dean of Gloucester, Caron Bell, MC and ITV Reporter, Gillian Hayward, President The rotary Club of Cotswold Tyndale and Derek Aston, President Elect The Rotary Club of Cotswold Tyndale
On a balmy midsummer evening, over 300 guests gathered at the magnificent Gloucester Cathedral for a truly unforgettable celebration concert in aid of the Rotary Big Space Cancer Appeal. The event, held on 21st June, was a resounding success – bringing together exquisite music, heartfelt community spirit, and a shared mission to help transform cancer care in Gloucestershire.
The evening raised more than £3,200 for the Rotary-led appeal, which forms part of a wider £17.5 million initiative spearheaded by the Cheltenham and Gloucester Hospitals Charity. The Big Space Cancer Appeal is committed to creating a state-of-the-art Oncology Centre at Cheltenham General Hospital, and Rotary District 1100 has an aim to try and raise over £200,000 towards that goal. With over £84,000 already secured, this concert marked a significant step forward.
Guests were welcomed by Caron Bell, who graciously served as Master of Ceremonies, and were honoured to hear opening remarks from Professor Mark Pietroni, Deputy CEO of the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. His words highlighted the incredible impact that an improved Oncology Unit will have for both patients and NHS staff alike.
The musical programme was an extraordinary showcase of local talent, featuring two of Gloucestershire’s finest choirs—The Stuart Singers and The Dursley Male Voice Choir—alongside world-renowned Welsh baritone Mark Llewelyn Evans, who performed as the evening’s guest soloist.
Part One of the concert began with powerful and moving performances from the Dursley Male Voice Choir, including traditional favourites like Amoung the Dead Men, Danny Boy, Wellerman, and Kumbaya. Mark Llewelyn Evans then captivated the audience with a mix of cinematic and theatrical pieces, including Cinema Paradiso, a Rodgers & Hammerstein Medley, and Stars from Les Misérables. The Stuart Singers closed the first half with a rich, emotional blend of pieces from The Sound of Music and The Seal Lullaby to Somewhere Only We Know. (Those highlighted as clickable links will take you to YouTube videos of those pieces).
After a 30-minute interval in the Cloisters accompanied by a glass of wine, Part Two continued the magic. The Stuart Singers returned with a vibrant set including The Best of Neil Diamond, Broadway Blast and One Moment in Time. Mark Llewelyn Evans stunned once again with passionate renditions of On the Road to Mandalay, Myfanwy and Toreador. The Dursley Male Voice Choir brought the concert towards its crescendo with stirring arrangements of The Way We Were, Skye Boat Song, Cavatina, and Bui Doi from Miss Saigon.
The grand finale was a collaborative performance featuring all artists—Evans, both choirs, and their accompanists—united in harmony with Harbour and Anthem from Chess, (The YouTube video starts with Bui Doi from Miss Saigon leading into the finale itself) leaving the audience deeply moved and on their feet in applause.
Both choirs expressed how much of a privilege it was to perform alongside each other and with Mark Llewelyn Evans in support of such a meaningful cause. Mark, known not only for his operatic talent but also for his charity work—including as a Celebrity Ambassador for Sarcoma UK—brought warmth, humour, and humanity to the evening.
The event was supported by generous sponsors and the tireless work of the Rotary Club of Cotswold Tyndale and volunteers from The Rotary Club of Gloucester, Gloucester Quays Rotary Club and Rotary @ Kingsholm. Their shared commitment to the Big Space Cancer Appeal created an atmosphere that was as uplifting as it was inspiring.
As the final notes rang out beneath the soaring vaulted ceiling of Gloucester Cathedral, it was clear that this was more than just a concert. It was a celebration of community, compassion, and hope – showing that when people come together, their voices can make a powerful difference.
For more on how to support the appeal, visit www.RotaryBigSpaceCancer.org.
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