Four local charities will benefit when a Christmas carol concert is hosted at Gloucester Cathedral by city-based specialist insurance company Ecclesiastical.

The family event on December 19 at 7.30pm will include choirs from Upton St Leonards Primary School, The Salvation Army Band and special performances from the Vocality Youth Choir and Ecclesiastical's very own staff choir.

The concert, which has become a major Christmas event for the city, will be led by the Very Reverend Stephen Lake, Dean of Gloucester Cathedral.

Tickets cost just £4.00 and are available from the cathedral's box office. Ecclesiastical will match-fund the proceeds from the ticket sales together with any donations made on the night and this will be donated to Gloucestershire-based charities, The Nelson Trust, The Gloucester Civic Trust, St Rose's and Gloucestershire Young Carers.

Last year the concert raised almost £5,000.

Mark Hews, group chief executive of Ecclesiastical, said: "It's a real privilege to be the major insurer of so much of the nation's heritage including Britain's magnificent cathedrals and to be able to host our annual Christmas carol concert in this, our local cathedral, which has a special place in our hearts.

"We are very grateful to Gloucester Cathedral for allowing us to host this event. The funds raised will make a real difference to our local community.

"As one of the largest businesses in the city, it is fitting that we should lead by example. Last year we hit our ambitious target to donate £50m to good causes and we are committed to our pledge to give a further £100m over the coming years and to continue to show that commercial businesses can be both successful and a force for good."