Chorister Cameron Hill has been awarded the first ever choral scholarship at St Mary’s Church, Ross-on-Wye.

Cameron was presented with a certificate recognising the award of the Neville Crabbe scholarship on Sunday morning. The scholarship is worth £480 per annum and the expectation is that the award will be renewed in future years.

Cameron (14) has been a member of the choir for four years and has recently passed the Royal School of Church Music’s Silver award (equivalent to Grade 5).

This brand new initiative at St Mary’s brings a further eight scholarships that are available to students of secondary age who have passed grade 3 in any instrument and are keen to commit themselves to the choir. Scholarships are awarded to help offset the costs of music tuition beyond choristers’ work at St Mary’s, and as a reward for hard work.

Director of Music at St Mary’s, Mark Sanderson, would like to hear from anyone interested in applying. For more details, and to apply visit stmarysmusic.org/choral-scholarships alternatively just go along to St Mary’s on a Friday evening at 7pm.

St Mary’s is rightly proud of its musical tradition and particularly of the work it does with young people. It is hoped that this latest initiative will build on that work.

This first scholarship has been funded by Neville Crabbe, a former member of the choir, in gratitude for everything the choir has given him and his children in earlier years.