A choir raised more than £5,000 for various regional charities by putting on a series of concerts over the festive period.

St Albans Bach Choir, which performs throughout the year, brought in £5,145 for three great causes through its fundraising efforts at Christmas.

The money was recently handed over to trustees and directors, with each charity having a personal connection to the choir.

An afternoon carol concert in St Albans Cathedral raised £1,215 for Charlie’s Gift – an organisation that provides grants to support children who face difficult challenges in life due to health issues, special needs and disability, bereavement or poverty.

Nicole Fidler, a trustee of the charity, explained how the money might be used to help an autistic child who needed a special weighted vest to help induce feelings of calmness and security.

The evening carol concert brought in £2,280 for Herts Musical Memories, which provides a lifeline for people with dementia and their carers through music and song.

Heather Hurford, a member of the Bach choir, accepted the cheque on behalf of the charity and explained how it had helped her father, Peter, a former master of music at St Albans Cathedral.

And the choir’s longstanding involvement in the evening carol sing at the Lower Red Lion in Fishpool Street helped collect £1,650 for Bereavement Matters: the St Albans and District Bereavement Network.

These funds will help this smaller charity offer practical and emotional support to bereaved people living in the district, irrespective of race, creed or colour.