A market town is will host a festival for choirs from all over the North West this April.

Neston will be the destination for singers from all over the north west of England in April as they come together for the inaugural ‘North West Choir Fest’.

The festival is the brainchild of Paula Prytherch, creative director of Neston’s Hip & Harmony community interest group.

It will be a non-competitive event bringing like-minded people together with fun mass singing workshops in the morning and afternoon.

These will be led by four expert coordinators leading to a mass performance at the conclusion of the fest of repertoire learned on the day. There will also be the opportunity for all participating choirs to share performances of their own choice.

Paula said: “We would like North West Choir Fest to become an annual fixture for choirs throughout the region.

“We are confident that with the experience Hip & Harmony CIC has with community arts projects, alongside the skills of the practitioners we have engaged, the event will be great day and we are all looking forward to it immensely.”

Venue for the fest will be Neston High School on Raby Park Road which has generously offered the school for the event.

Sponsorship from Neston firms Phillip Bates & Co and Phillip Bates Financial Services has enabled organisers to make arrangements to ensure the successful launch of the festival.

Mr Bates commented: “We think it will be a huge success and lead to others, hopefully, as a regular major event in Neston.”

It is expected that around 10 to 15 choirs will take part in the inaugural event with bookings currently being taken on a first come first served basis.

All community choirs and singing groups are welcome to the day, said to be ‘a wonderful opportunity to share and experience singing in sweet harmony with other singers from all over the north west’.

Material in the workshops will be taught by ear, so an ability to read music is not required.

The event will take place on Sunday April 24 from 11am to 5.45pm.

Bookings can be made on the North West Choir Fest website with any enquiries to the organisers by email to admin@northwestchoirfest.co.uk.