AN ANDOVER community choir group came together with poets and story-tellers for an evening to support a homelessness charity last Saturday.

The event hosted at St Michael’s Church, in Weyhill Road, celebrated the launch of a new book of short stories where writers donated their work to raise money for national charity Shelter.

The book project Stories for Homes gives moving insights into the lives of adults and children without a regular, reliable place to live, and several were read out to the audience.

Andover Museum Loft Singers also entertained the crowd with traditional folk and Christmas songs in a three-part harmony, and with cellist Suzanne Coates and pianist Gwilym Stacey playing classical pieces including The Swan by Saint Saens.

The group’s main conductor and director Paul Sartin said: “From their inception the Andover Museum Loft Singers have embedded themselves in and wholeheartedly supported local events and organisations – a ‘community choir’ in every sense.

“The choir is honoured to support the invaluable work of Stories from Home and Shelter, an engagement spearheaded by long-serving choir member John Taylor.”

“The initiatives taken by these charities is particularly apposite at this time of year, when our focus should be directed towards those in need both close to home and further afield, and we wish them well in their endeavours.”

The singers said while the event was small in number, the attendees gave generously and raised a total £400.

Andover Loft Singers will be holding further performances in the coming weeks.Visit www.loftsingers.org.uk.