Where: St Matthew's Church, Clarence Street, Cheltenham GL50 3PL

When: Saturday, December 7, 7.30pm

One of Cheltenham's leading chamber choirs will be joined by a variety of other local choirs for The Joy of Christmas Concert at St Matthew's Church, Cheltenham, on Saturday, December 7.

Jubilate Chamber Choir will be presenting the annual feast of festive music and readings for the whole family.

The Joy of Christmas is set to ignite St Matthew's Church and this year the concert will be raising money for 'Well Child'.

As well as the Jubilate Chamber Choir, the concert will also feature the University of Gloucestershire & Community Choir, Airthrie School Choir, Dunalley Primary School Choir, St John's Primary School Choir, St Edward's School Choir and the English Concertante Orchestra.

The evening will be presented by the popular BBC radio presenter Vernon Harwood.

Founded in 2001 by its musical director, Ian Higginson, Jubilate draws its members from Cheltenham, Gloucester and the Cotswolds.

The choir's repertoire encompasses both sacred and secular music and spans from the 16th century to the present day. In addition to performing locally, Jubilate has also sung in many of the country's cathedrals and abbeys, including St. Paul's Cathedral, London.

It has enjoyed highly successful tours to Scotland, Holland, Belgium, Liverpool, Chester, Cambridge and in both 2007 and 2011 to Paris where the choir has sung Mass in the Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Paris.

Jubilate Chamber Choir's president Professor Ian Tracey, organist titulaire at Liverpool Cathedral, said: "Jubilate are really fabulous - lovely mellifluous tone, all very technically proficient and most musical - a joy to accompany."

The Joy of Christmas Concert is usually performed in Cheltenham Town Hall, but this year it has moved to St Matthew's Church.

This concert is a real feast of festive musical cheer (old and new), which are generously interspersed with some seasonal readings.

There will even be a bar serving wine and soft drinks open during the interval, in order to start the Christmas spirit flowing for the whole family!

Ian Higginson said: "We are very much looking forward to performing this concert, especially working again with Vernon Harwood, plus the English Concertante Orchestra.

"We are also delighted to work again alongside so many talented young people from the local school choirs, the University & Community Choir and to be raising money for our chosen local charity 'Well Child'.".

Tickets cost £12 per adult, £10 per senior citizen and £8 per person under the age of 21. Tickets are available at The Wilson Art Gallery in Cheltenham and on the door.