Victoria Park Singers choir raises over £2700 for Hackney Winter Night Shelter

The Victoria Park Singers community choir has raised over £2,700 for the Hackney Winter Night Shelter at their annual winter concert.

The Victoria Park Singers community choir at their winter concert. Picture: Genevieve Girling - Credit: Genevieve Girling

To raise the funds for the shelter - where several members of the choir volunteer in their spare time - they performed a programme of traditional carols and winter classics to a full house at St Annes in Limehouse.

Hannah Brine, musical director of the choir that rehearses at Lauriston School in Victoria Park, is thrilled to have raised so much.

"It is such an important cause and we hope that the money will make a real difference to the wellbeing of people who are using the shelter this winter," she said. "I'm so proud of all my singers."

Andrea Daniels, chair of the trustees of Hackney Winter Night Shelter, who gave a talk at the event, said: "It was such a beautiful evening, and I am humbled and grateful for the amount raised.

The Victoria Park Singers community choir at their winter concert. Picture: Genevieve Girling - Credit: Genevieve Girling

"This will make a huge difference to the running of the night shelter this year, and help us to provide a safe place to stay for rough sleepers over the cold winter months."

Open for five months each year, November to March, the shelter provides dinner, bedding and breakfast for dozens in Hackney who would otherwise be on the streets.