AN enthusiastic crowd enjoyed The Warminster Philharmonic Orchestra’s ‘A Musical Mixture’ summer concert on Saturday evening at The Minster Church of St Denys.

The concert raised £876 for charity Kids’n’cancer, which helps children fighting cancer get life-saving proton beam therapy.

Raluca Vinson, lead oboist in the orchestra, is the mum of Alexander, who was given the all-clear after receiving proton beam therapy earlier this year.

Orchestra founder Amanda Williams said: “It seemed fitting to donate the evening’s ticket, refreshment and raffle monies to Kids’n’cancer to help another child in desperate need.

“In fact, it’s being donated directly to 18-month-old baby Jacob, who needs the same treatment as Alexander.

“I was very proud of the event, concert number 23 since our formation, although disappointed at the size of the audience.

“We were competing with a lot of sporting finals over the weekend. However, the amount we raised for baby Jacob was brilliant and worth every effort.”

Over 700 raffle tickets were sold that evening and two litres of Pimms served to put the audience in the mood for Berlioz’s Hungarian March, Tchaikovsky’s Waltz and Polonaise from the opera Eugene Onegin.

Warminster mayor Paul Macfarlane welcomed people to the evening and Mrs Vinson presented Mrs Williams with a word of thanks and bouquet as ‘a symbol of friendship to the orchestra and the community.’

Founded in July 2004 by Mrs Williams and her husband Richard, the community orchestra, set up to encourage local musicians of all ages and abilities to meet and socialise on a regular basis, has donated over £22,500 to local charities.