YOUNG musicians from Watford Grammar School for Girls will be performing in a musical soire to raise funds for homeless charity the Watford New Hope Trust on Wednesday.

Pupils from the upper sixth form will be performing ensemble pieces such as Meditation by Massenet along with a variety of piano, flute, clarinet and oboe solo items.

The concert at St Mary's Church, Watford, is being held to raise funds for music workshops at Watford New Hope Trust's Haven Day Centre.

The Haven, a drop-in centre providing food, showers and support for up to 70 people every day, is hosting the music workshops to enable its service users to have fun with music and help them regain some of the self-estem often lost through homelessness.

The workshops were set up by a one-time client of the Haven, who was not named, in keeping with the trust's policy.

He said: "Our efforts have been rewarded by the fact that, on Wednesdays, everybody leaves the day centre whistling a tune or feeling just a little bit happier due to our musical endeavours."

So far, the workshop participants have benefited from a donation of second-hand keyboards from Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls and another fundraising concert is due to be held at the Purcell School next year.

It is hoped the money raised from Wednesday's concert will be used towards buying more instruments and sheet music.

Admission to the concert, which starts at 7.30pm and is due to last about one-and-a-half hours, is free. A retiring collection with a suggested donation of £5 will be taken.

October 28, 2002 12:30