A NUMBER of forthcoming events are being staged at St Mary’s Church in Ross-on-Wye over the coming weeks, some of which will boost the ‘Spire in Peril’ appeal.

The next monthly lunchtime concert takes place today, Wednesday, May 6 at 1pm with Matthew Nisbet playing early string instruments.

This is a great opportunity to hear these lovely instruments being played and appreciate how they have developed since those early years.

Entry to the concert, but there will be a retiring collection. The concerts are ideal for grabbing a lunch from town or bring along your own and sit in the church from 12.30pm onwards.

The Ross Choristers Community Choir are holding their Spring Concert at St Mary’s Church on Sunday, May 10 at 3pm, with their full mixed choir and soloists providing light-hearted music to be enjoyed.

The choir is raising funds for the Church ‘Spire in Peril’ appeal this year. Tickets are priced at £12 and under 18s have free entry and are available from choir members or at the door.

While the committee behind the appeal are a long way off the prospect of fundraising for the bulk of this work to be carried out on the spire which is likely to cost in excess of £500,000 but many people and groups in the town have already started to make donations.

An illustrated talk highlighting the lives of Mediaeval Saints by Dr Janet Cooper will take place at St Mary’s on Wednesday, May 13 at 2:15pm.

The account of the Saint’s lives written in the Middle Ages might be seen as early biographies. Some contain many strange tales, others repeat stories from earlier saints’ lives.

It gives the generation living in the 21st Century the opportunity to consider what do we make of the saints today? Tickets priced at £10, which includes refreshments.