THE PROCEEDS of a charity concert to raise funds for a performing arts centre for wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans has been presented to a Help For Heroes recovery centre.

The Harmonies For Heroes concert and CD that united the Military WAGS Choir Catterick with Muker and Reeth Bands has raised £2,000 for Phoenix House in Catterick Garrison, and will go towards creating a specialised centre on its grounds to allow residents to express themselves and relieve stress through drama and performance.

The centre will be part of a Wellbeing Centre, which will also include sports facilities for the personnel and veterans.

The Harmonies for Heroes project was the brainchild of composer Jill Lundberg and WAGS Choir musical director Carol Gedye.

Ms Lundberg said: “We are delighted to present our first cheque to Phoenix House which we hope will be followed up in due course with another significant donation.

"The Harmonies for Heroes CD is selling well and the single, Dancing With You, is now available on itunes, so this will be a further source of funding towards Phoenix House.”

Phoenix House Recovery Centre manager Mo Usman said: “Since The Northern Echo launched its £100,000 For Our Heroes campaign, we have received individual donations from scores of generous readers but this £2,000 from Harmonies for Heroes is the first from an organised event.

“Music, singing and performance can be a friend; something to relieve stress and pressure and to ‘get the party started’ - all elements of what we aim to achieve at Phoenix House.”

Priced at £6, the CD is available from Richmond Tourist Information Centre, the Wives Kitchen in Richmond, Studio 19 in Catterick and the 5 National Park Centres in Reeth and Wensleydale, or online at www.militarywagschoir.co.uk/Dancingwithyou. The single of Dancing With You is 79p from iTunes at https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/dancing-with-you-single/id833518486.