A charity that helps children with special educational needs is set to benefit from afternoon and evening Christmas concerts at St Albans Cathedral.

St Albans Bach Choir are holding their annual concerts this Saturday, December 12, and will raise funds for The Collett School for children aged from four to 17 with special educational needs.

The afternoon concert at 3pm is aimed particularly at young children, lasting less than an hour and featuring favourite children’s carols.

The evening programme at 7pm includes well-loved carols and seasonal choral classics, interspersed with Christmas readings and a fun festive musical quiz devised by former Cathedral Assistant Master of the Music Andrew Parnell, who returns to play the organ.

He will be joined by Organ Scholar Nicholas Freestone playing the piano and current cathedral Master of the Music, Andrew Lucas, conducting.

The Bach Choir will be fresh from their second high-profile appearance at the Royal Albert Hall on Monday, having been invited back by celebrated composer John Rutter to take part in his Christmas Celebration, along with lay clerks and choristers from St Albans Cathedral Choir and the Abbey Girls Choir, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Cathedral Assistant Master of the Music, organist Tom Winpenny.

The choirs have also been chosen by Mr Rutter to sing at the Fairfield Halls in Croydon next Wednesday, December 16.

For the first time this year, reserved seating is bookable in advance from here. Unreserved seats will be available on the day.