Wrekin College band boosts £1.5m Abbey appeal

A lunchtime concert has raised hundreds of pounds for a major restoration project in Shrewsbury.

Members of Wrekin College Big Band performed to a large audience at Shrewsbury's Abbey.

The free concert was one of a weekly series that has been launched by the church every Wednesday at 1pm.

All funds raised from the performances will go towards the £1.5 million campaign to renovate Shrewsbury Abbey.

Abbey bosses are hoping to attract the cash to fund an ambitious programme of refurbishment and renovation at the historic building, which was founded as a Benedictine monastery by Roger de Montgomery in 1083.

The campaign is called the Shrewsbury Abbey Renaissance project.

One of its aims is to raise £500,000 to renovate the Abbey's 100-year-old organ. A further £100,000 will be spent on upgrading music, drama and dance facilities and another £100,000 on reaching more young people by setting up youth choirs and increasing school outreach programmes.

Songs performed during Wednesday's concerts by students from the college in Wellington included Abba's hit Mamma Mia.

Gillian Keates, from Shrewsbury Abbey, said: "It was really, really great. The concert was something quite different and the students were wonderfully behaved and very polite. They were a joy to have and performed from a number of different genres.

"It was very well attended and raised around £200 for the restoration project."