Western suburbs choirs are joining forces to raise money for asylum seekers.
SingWest, Altona Community Choir, Estonian Choir, gOSs Choir, Laverton Choir, Partnership Choir, Spirit of Finland, St Stephens Singing Group and the Western Region Concert Band will perform in Williamstown on Sunday.
SingWest musical director Andrew Houston says all proceeds from the community choral festival will go to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC).
“We’re hoping to make this an annual event where we can raise money through singing for any number of charities,” he said.
“But the members of SingWest, who are putting this on, decided that the ASRC was something that resonates particularly well. It’s very topical and there’s a strong feeling of social justice and humanitarian and various needs that we feel we need to support, so they’ve decided that this would be a great one to get involved with this year.”
The ASRC, based at West Melbourne and Dandenong, helps new arrivals by providing volunteer case workers, free English classes, food parcels and meals, employment opportunities and other support.
Mr Houston said the community festival gave people the chance to hear much of the west’s talent in the one place, at the one time.
The concert starts at 2pm at Williamstown Town Hall, 104 Ferguson Street. Tickets are $10.
