THE talent will be overflowing at the Wyvern Theatre this weekend and the organisers are hoping that the same can be said about the charity collection buckets.

The curtain goes up on the Mayor of Swindon’s Charity Show at 7.30pm on Saturday, and the audience are in for a treat with performances from the Wessex Male Choir, Warneford School choir and band and the winners of the Adver’s Swindon Talent 2009 competition.

Swindon mayor David Wren said it was shaping up to be a fantastic evening.

“This is one of two concerts I am holding in aid of my chosen charities,” he said.

“The main hosts of the evening will be the wonderful Wessex Male Choir and there will also be performances by pupils from Warneford School and the winner, runner-up and two finalists from the Swindon Talent 2009 competition. It will be a brilliant evening.”

All profits from the evening will go the mayor’s charities.

They are the Thamesdown Hydrotherapy Pool, Swindon 105.5, Guide Dogs For The Blind, LEAVES and the Swindon Downs Syndrome Group.

And each of them has a special place in Coun Wren’s heart.

“I’ve used the Thamesdown Hydrotherapy since I first came to Swindon as I have arthritis in my right arm,” he said.

“I was involved in setting up a charity that uses the pool so it is something that I know a lot of people benefit from.”

“I chose Guide Dogs For The Blind as, when I was a teenager, I lost the sight in one of my eyes.

“Thankfully, it has since come back but I can appreciate the work that they do.

“Swindon 105.5 gives a voice to parts of the community that would otherwise not be heard and the other charities are the Swindon Cares charities, and I was on the board that helped chose them this time around.”

Coun Wren has also put together a souvenir programme for the event, priced at £2, which contains a deliberate mistake.

Anyone who spots it can email him and be entered into a draw to win two tickets to the mayor’s St George’s Day concert at the Wyvern Theatre on April 23.

Send your entries to Coun Wren at d.wren1@ntlworld.com by Friday, February 5.

Tickets for the show cost £12 and are available by calling the box office on 01793 524481 or by logging on to www. wyvern theatre.org.uk.