A CHURCH is continuing to support Grove House for another year with a new series of lunchtime concerts starting this month. St Peter s Church in St Albans holds weekly Wednesday lunchtime concerts for which there is no need to book and refreshments are pr

A CHURCH is continuing to support Grove House for another year with a new series of lunchtime concerts starting this month.

St Peter's Church in St Albans holds weekly Wednesday lunchtime concerts for which there is no need to book and refreshments are provided. The concerts end with a retiring collection in aid of Grove House.

The spring season began last Wednesday with a performance by acclaimed piano duo Isabel Beyer and Harvey Dagul who need very little introduction to St Albans audiences for their piano playing which is always amusingly and interestingly presented.

Musicians from St Albans School perform this week and later in the season pupils from Beaumont School, Aldwickbury and St Margaret's in Bushey will be taking their turns at the church.

The first week of February sees the return of James McVinnie, assistant organist at Westminster Abbey.

He is well known in St Albans having been an organ scholar at the Abbey before moving on to St Paul's Cathedral and then his present post.

James will be playing the Mander Organ at the church on Wednesday, February 3.

Concert organiser, Tony Edwards, said: "We are delighted that so many top class musicians choose to come and play in our lovely church. It means that the church gets used in the day time and we welcome people who may otherwise not visit us.

"All our performers provide their services for free and, as a result, we can donate the retiring collection to our local hospice, Grove House, to help them continue to support local people with cancer and life-threatening illness."

Paul Parrish, fundraising director at Grove House, commented: "We are so grateful to Tony and all at St Peter's for their continued support. This is a great way for the local community to enjoy the church and the music and support us here at the hospice.

"We look forward to our continued association during 2010."

For further information about Grove House call 01727 731000 or visit www.grove-house.org.uk and to see the full concert programme visit www.stpeterschurch.uk.com/MusicChoir/Concerts