Ripon Cathedral hosting event to help a North Yorkshire-based mental health charity.
Music lovers will be treated to a ‘Night to Remember’ at Ripon Cathedral next month at an event aimed at raising awareness, and money, for a North Yorkshire-based mental health charity.
Last updated 12th Nov 2021
Wellspring Training and Therapy, which provides affordable counselling to people of all ages across the Harrogate district, saw referrals shoot up during the Covid-19 pandemic, forcing the charity to temporarily suspend its waiting list.
Wellspring is now back operating as normal, with its counsellors able to keep on top of the current level of demand, but the Starbeck-based service relies almost entirely on donations to survive – and ticket sales for next month’s concert inside Ripon’s historic cathedral will provide a vital source of funding for the charity.
Harrogate-based concert pianist Julian Saphir, who trained at both the Royal Academy and Royal College of Music, has performed around the world and Yorkshire-born soprano Eleonore Cockerham, a former member of internationally-acclaimed singing group VOCES8, take centre-stage at ‘A Night to Remember’ on Friday 12 November.
Julian lost his best friend to suicide in 2017, and since then he's led shows to raise money for organisations who support those struggling with poor mental health:
"We're living in times now where mental health is such a hot topic. At the time my friend George was 47, and this is a very common age among men particularly.
"Any organisation and charity now that deals with mental health of all kinds - particularly among young people; it's desperately important to support them and to raise awareness as well as funds. It must be taken seriously.
"I want to try and get to a point where this issue can be flagged up early enough, and to try and prevent it from happening to anyone else".
They will be joined on stage by choirs and performers from across the Harrogate district including Nidd Chorale, Unity Voices and the Chamber Choir of Harrogate’s St Aidan’s School.
The concert, exploring themes of memory and thanksgiving and organised in collaboration with David Moon of Harrogate-based Full Circle Funerals, also features pianist Nichola Saphir and Harrogate Theatre Choir, with all proceeds going to support the work of Wellspring in Starbeck.
Sarah James, Therapeutic Lead at Wellspring Training and Therapy said last year the charity supported 700 people across the Harrogate district through individual counselling, group sessions, work in schools and mental health training:
"Our counsellors are frequently working with adults who present with depression, anxiety, trauma, loss, relationship issues, low self-esteem, emotional abuse, loss of confidence and stress. Many people we support have been signposted to us for more in-depth/long-term therapeutic work that is too expensive for many people to fund for themselves".
Concert co-ordinator David Moon said:
"This event is a wonderful opportunity to explore and experience the power music has on our mood and raise money for Wellspring, which is providing a vital wellbeing service in our local community."