A CONCERT to raise money for Worcester’s most vulnerable homeless people hit the right note, raising more than £1,100 for the city charity which is their lifeline during hard times.

Around 100 people enjoyed the Inaugural Maggs Day Centre Concert by the Proteus Ensemble at Worcester Cathedral on Saturday evening.

It was deemed such a success organisers now hope it can become a regular and fruitful fundraiser in the concert calendar.

In total the event raised £1,112, by far the most successful in terms of fundraising concert the Worcester Cathedral: Maggs Partnership has yet seen.

The money raised will be added to the proceeds from an earlier concert in March, taking the total raised from the two to £1,500.

The vital funds will be given to the day centre, based in Deansway, next month. The centre provides homeless people, including rough sleepers, a dry, safe place where they can get food and hot drinks.

The concert will take the total raised by the Worcester Cathedral: Maggs Partnership to nearly £13,000 over four years.

The Proteus Ensemble, which has performed at the Three Choirs Festival, electrified the audience with ‘an English Celebration'.

It featured classical pieces of music including I was Glad by Henry Purcell and Kyrie, Agnus Dei and Let All the World by Vaughan Williams.

After the interval there were performances of Lo, The Full Final Sacrifice by Gerald Finzi, Elgar’s Angel's Farewell from the Dream of Gerontius and Blest Pair of Sirens by Hubert Parry.

All of the music was interspersed with readings by Gabrielle Bullock, including Night Wanderers and the Hermit by WH Davies, Here is the Cathedral by Ted Hughes, What is Given by Andrew Motion and the Beatitudes from Matthew, chapter five.

Many of the readings touched on homelessness, exploring themes of isolation, deprivation and exclusion.

Leslie Davies, chairman of the Worcester Cathedral: Maggs Partnership, who organised the concert with his wife, Barbara, said: “That was the first one of what we hope will become an annual event.

"We must mentioned the Cathedral which is the greater part of the Maggs Partnership. They were tremendous, providing the nave and use of the organ. Without the cathedral we could not have done it.

“The concert was absolutely outstanding. It was beyond our expectations.”

Mr Davies arranged the concert after talking to conductor Stephen Shellard.

A couple, hearing Proteus practicing in the Cathedral before the performance, were so impressed they donated £30 (the price of two tickets) even though they could not stay for the concert.