YATE Choral Society is giving a concert in memory of a founder member next week.

The choral and orchestral concert at St John’s Church in Chipping Sodbury, on Saturday, October 17 (7.30pm), will remember Margaret Maidment who helped set up the group in 1965.

Mrs Maidment worked at The Ridge Junior School in Yate at the time and alongside the then head teacher Howard Lewis, music master and first conductor Terry Payne and school secretary Gertrude Higgins, decided the area needed a choir of its own. Rehearsals began soon after with 12 members and although originally part of Yate and District Arts Society and known as Yate, Sodbury and District Choral Society, the name was later shortened to Yate Choral Society.

Mrs Maidment, who was given honorary life membership of the choir when she retired as a singing member, died in August aged 91.

Choral society chairman Philip Revill said: “The choir had hoped that Margaret would have been able to be with us to celebrate our 50th anniversary next spring, when there will be a gala concert at Yate International Academy on May 21.”

He said the concert in memory of Mrs Maidment will include Vivaldi’s Gloria, Handel’s The King shall Rejoice and Mozart’s Ave Verum, which was sung at her funeral at her request.

Members of her family will attend the concert.

Tickets cost £8.50, accompanied children go free, and are available at the Tourist Information Centre in Chipping Sodbury or by telephoning 01454 324839 or 01454 314779.