Overgate Hospice Choir’s annual Hymn Sing, a major fund raiser for the charity, is to take place on Saturday, April 16, at Brighouse Central Methodist Church and heralds the start of a series of celebratory concerts.

The guest conductor for the popular event will be borough organist Dr Gordon Stewart and the guest soloist is Opera North soprano Rachel Mosley. Dr Simon Lindley will play the organ.

This is an important and busy year for the choir, which will be celebrating its 25th anniversary with a founder’s concert in October, at which the choristers are to perform Haydn’s Creation, the piece that launched the choir in the Voices for Hospices initiative all those years ago.

And next month choir is also presenting A Right Royal Do in Halifax Minster on Friday, May 20, to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday.

However, The Hymn Sing, which starts at 7.30pm, comes first and will feature a rousing selection of 16 hymns.

Some are to be showcased by the choir and soloist, while others are for both audience and choir. They include well-known favourites such as The King of Love My Shepherd Is and Ave Maria, as well as works by Mozart, Parry and contemporary American composer Henry Mollicone.

As Dr Stewart says: “For the choir items I look for pieces that are not too difficult but give a different sound to the evening.

“Some of the most popular with choir and audience have come from America.

“A big opening hymn of praise is followed by an introduction to the event and then another ‘good’ sing. From then on the mix changes from year to year.

“Only one hymn appears every time and that is Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah: I tried to miss it out one year but soon changed my mind.”

Overgate Hospice Choir has raised nearly £278,000 since its inception and plans to cash in on its anniversary year to net even more for the Elland-based hospice.

Tickets for the Hymn Sing are £10 from www.overgatehospice.co.uk