About our organisation...

The Rawstorne Singers (based in Leyland, Preston is a choral group of 24 to 30 mixed voices that has been established now since 1980.

Taking its name from Bishop Atherton Gwillym Rawstorne (b.1855), once Rector of Croston, and the only ever Bishop of Whalley (1909-1936), the Choir was originally formed in 1980 as a visiting and training choir for the pupils of Bishop Rawstorne High School in Croston by Michael Sands, Director of Music at the School.

The aim was to extend what the students could do musically by bringing into the School's Choirs the more mature voices of parents, staff, friends and former pupils.

Establishing it as a member of Making Music (and making the choir a registered charity), also meant that the running of the choir would give older students an understanding of how to run a choral society themselves at university or in adult life generally.

Musically, the intention was to give concerts (featuring and extending their repertoire to include reputable chamber choral works), to sing church services (in local churches), and to undertake a week-long summer residential visit or tour, when the choir would deputise for an English Cathedral choir for a week or so.

Many of the present members joined when they were students at the school, although the choir formally split from the school some years ago (due to a number of practical difficulties in managing a choir which involved children and adults under then current legislation - every adult involved needed to have full police clearance, an expensive and time consuming process). Despite this, musical director Michael Sands, continued teaching at the school until 2002.

In October, 2006, the Singers, under Michael's sustained leadership, completed their (or rather his) 50th and final Anglican Cathedral in the UK England and Wales), during a weekend visit to Ely, in Cambridgeshire.  See this map of our visits over the years. [Use your browser's back button to return here].

In addition to singing services at a number of Abbeys and Minsters and performance of many concerts, both religious and secular, in and around the Preston area, the Choir has undertaken a civic role for the City of Preston - singing for Mayoral Services, Christmas Charity Events, annual carol concerts for the Lancashire Evening Post and the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England . Having won the Freckleton Music Festival Choral Rosebowl for two consecutive years (2001 and 2002) the Choir has also made several TV appearances on ITV's "My Favourite Hymns".

The Choir still undertakes a number of weekend singing visits - all over the UK - and the summer visits (usually a week to ten days, taking over the duties of a Cathedral choir, have now reached number 35. Having now sung in all six of the Welsh Cathedrals and 44 in England and in 2005, the Cathedrals of St. Patrick and of Christ Church n Dublin ), the visits and concerts continue – to allow newer members to complete their own target of 'the 50'.!

For further details about the choir and joining, phone Alison (on 01772 462202) or Andy (on 01772 605770), check out the 'Enquiry' and 'Vacancies' buttons or see our MySpace page, at www.myspace.com/rawstornesingers .