SHOPPERS will be able to enjoy six hours of music when a choir descends on the centre for a special fundraising event.

The Brunel Centre will be alive with the sound of music on Saturday, May 9, when the centre will host a six-hour charity ‘singathon’ by the Cotswold Voices ensemble.

The community choir will be raising money for Prospect Hospice in memory of former member Jeanie Pugh, of Faringdon, who passed away in December last year.

The singathon is the idea of Jeanie’s friend and fellow founding-choir member, Rowan Harris, who wanted to organise an event in her memory.

“It’s going to be an emotional day I’m sure,” she said.

“Jeanie was hugely loved by all in the choir and is very much missed.”

She said the treatment Jeanie received at the Wroughton hospice left the choir keen to raise money with a special event.

“Prospect Hospice were absolutely brilliant in how they cared for Jeanie during her illness, so this is something that we, her fellow choir members and friends, can do to help raise funds to keep this wonderful service going for others in the future,” Rowan said.

“Jeanie’s husband [Tiggy] and family, including daughter Kelly and son Steve, will be supporting the singathon so it will be lovely for them to see money being raised in Jeanie’s memory.”

The group will be singing a range of well-known songs, mostly pop music and pieces from musicals, with choirmaster Joe Moore accompanying them on keyboard.

“It will be everything from the 60s up to now,” said Rowan. “We’ll sing it all; Abba, Bee Gees, Take That. You name it we’ll sing it. It takes a lot of songs to fill six hours.”

The singathon will take place from 10am, on the first floor of The Brunel shopping centre, outside Marks & Spencer and Boots. Jane Stewart, deputy centre manager, said the shopping centre was delighted to host the event.

“When Rowan approached us about holding the event at the centre I was more than happy to help organise and promote it,” she said.

“This is such a lovely idea and a great way of remembering Jeanie and raising vital money for the hospice.

“I really hope the people of Swindon will come along and show their support to the choir.”

To sponsor Rowan and The Cotswold Voices go to justgiving.com/Rowan-Harris and for more information about the choir visit thecotswoldvoices.com.