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HANDEL COMES TO TOWN IN SUPPORT OF LOCAL YOUNGSTERS
30th September, 2025
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Worcester Festival Choral Society (WFCS) re-launches its renowned annual performance of Handel’s Messiah as a major Benefit Concert that will help change young lives across the county.
The 150 singers and musicians will raise the roof, as well as funds, at Worcester Cathedral this December in a candlelit performance of Handel’s choral masterpiece to support local charitable causes. The region’s leading and largest classical choir has partnered with grant-making charity the Worcestershire Community Foundation (WCF) to raise significant funds annually for projects that support the education, health and well-being of children and young people.
The idea to raise funds through the power of music came from George Frideric Handel himself! When the composer conducted the first charitable performance of his Messiah in Dublin in 1742, little did he know that it would inspire the building of the world’s first purpose-built maternity hospital – still in operation today – and the completion of the Foundling Hospital in London, where Handel would oversee the musical education of the children in its care.
Anne Renshaw from Worcester Festival Choral Society explained: “Everyone loves Handel’s Messiah, but few people know it has been doing good in society for nearly 300 years! It’s an amazing story of radical social change, medical care and innovation that we’ll be sharing as we seek to continue Handel’s charitable legacy here in Worcestershire.”
The annual fund-raising event will look to local businesses to play a key role in leading the charitable giving through a ‘Gold Patrons’ scheme, with several such donations already received. Music lovers are also being invited to make voluntary charitable donations to the Foundation when they buy their concert tickets, or separately via a JustGiving page.
Chair of the Worcestershire Community Foundation, Jonathan Chenevix-Trench, commented: “Worcestershire Community Foundation is delighted to be partnering with Worcester Festival Choral Society in this initiative. To be their charity partner for such a wonderful event is a great honour for us, and we look forward very much to working with their team. Our values of supporting Worcestershire to thrive by bringing communities together very much reflects the aims of WFCS. Through this joyous performance and its historical links with fundraising, we hope to raise awareness of our work, and to encourage public support to make our county more resilient.”
In beginning this new era of charitable fund-raising in Worcestershire through Messiah, Handel’s baton is passed to WFCS conductor Samuel Hudson. “We are excited to be engaging communities in the story of Handel’s Messiah, and creating opportunities for young people to participate in this wonderful music, inspiring new generations for years to come,” he confirmed.
Handel’s Messiah is one of the world’s most popular choral works. When King George II attended its premiere in 1742, he is said to have been so moved by the mighty Hallelujah chorus that he rose to his feet – a tradition that audiences continue today. The oratorio is packed with other well-known arias and choruses including For unto us a child is born, All we like sheep and The trumpet shall sound. Performing with Worcester Festival Choral Society will be the Meridian Sinfonia and acclaimed soloists Amy Carson – soprano, Frances Gregory – mezzo soprano, Simon Wall – tenor, and bass baritone, Tim Dickinson.
The Worcestershire Community Foundation is a grant-making charity that supports Worcestershire by championing smaller community groups and connecting donors of all kinds with vital local causes. In 2023-24 it distributed over £600k of funding, supporting 93 county projects. The Lord-Lieutenant of Worcestershire, Beatrice Grant, is President of the Foundation.
For concert tickets and optional donation opportunities, visit www.wfcs.online or call TicketSource on 0333 666 3366 (local call rate).
Corporate donors are invited to contact Anne Renshaw at development@wfcs.online.
Charitable donations can also be made via the Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/wcf-wcfsmessiah.
To find out more about Worcestershire Community Foundation, visit www.worcscf.org.uk.
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