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On
1st August 2011 the Wells Cathedral Girl Chorister Trust became the Wells
Cathedral Chorister Trust, with the aim of giving financial support long term
to both girl and boy choristers. Over
the last year or so the trustees have been thinking hard about what next steps
need to be taken to continue to provide support for choristers, and eventually
after much discussion the decision was made to widen the Trust so that it could
support both boys as well as girls. Permission for the change was sought from the Charity Commission, and on
August 1st the Trust formally became "The Wells Cathedral Chorister
Trust".
Within
the trust, the money, which has already been given for girls, will be protected
and can only be used to support girls, but money given from now on can be used
to support both boys and girls. This
will give us greater flexibility in providing support where it is most needed
and in ensuring that Wells continues to have sufficient numbers of both boy and
girl choristers within its music foundation.
I
am delighted to say that Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex has agreed
to transfer her royal patronage to the new trust. And it is very good news that she will be
visiting the Cathedral and the School in October to meet the choristers and members
of the music foundation, and formally to mark the birth of the Trust.
As
we being this new phase of work, I am most grateful to all who have supported
the Girl Chorister Trust.
Patrick
Woodhouse, Canon Precentor
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New Trust Website & Contact Details |
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The newly-designated Wells Cathedral Chorister Trust will have a website at www.wcct.co.uk
This website will be active as of Monday 16 September 2011.
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Achieving excellence through opportunity |
For centuries Wells Cathedral has enjoyed a reputation for outstanding music. Since it was founded in 909 the choir has consisted of men and boys. The girls choir was formed in 1994 and its contribution to the music of the cathedral is constantly being highly praised. The Trust was established in 2002 to ensure that there is proper bursary provision for the eighteen girl choristers to match that already in place for the boy choristers.
THE TRUST AIMS TO:
● Provide scholarships for girl choristers
● Provide bursaries for girl choristers
● Create an endowment fund of £2.0 million that will provide girl choristers
with an equal opportunity to the same internationally acclaimed musical
training as the boy choristers
● Make sure that no girl is barred from this opportunity on financial grounds
● Ensure that a girl choir can continue to exist alongside the boys, thus
enormously enriching the musical and spiritual life of Wells and its Cathedral.
Every day during term time, in cathedrals and college chapels around Great Britain, more than a thousand young choristers sing the Church's services. During the course of a typical career these boys and girls will have sung in a thousand services and learnt a vast repertoire of music.
As well as their role in worship, the boy and girl choristers make recordings and perform in concerts. They broadcast and tour at home and overseas, promoting musical excellence. They have the chance to praise and to sing to the glory of God. The spiritual impact of their training remains with them always, along with the musical education they receive.
Both the boy and girl choristers are educated at Wells Cathedral School and are trained to the same internationally-acclaimed musical standards. The school is one of only four in the United Kingdom supported by the Government's DfES Music and Dance Scheme and the only one to be part of a traditional school.
Wells Cathedral Girl Chorister Trust is a Registered Charity number 1098277
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 15 September 2011 )
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