Fife vocal concert group set to host concert to raise money for hospital renal unit

The group will be raising money for the Renal Outpatients Department at Kirkcaldy’s Victoria Hospital when they stage their latest concert in the town’s Old Kirk on Friday, March 1.

Members are hoping for a strong turn out to support the critical work of the department in the local hospital.

Director and founder member of Ensemble, Rosemary Nairne, started dialysis treatment about 18 months ago and is well aware of all the work that goes on in the unit.

Rosemary said: “I have witnessed first-hand that the unit is working at capacity, treating about 100 people mornings, afternoons and some evenings, six days a week.

"Most of the patients visit the hospital three times a week spending about five hours there on each occasion and without this vital treatment the patients would not be alive.”

While Rosemary is not currently singing with the group she is still able to plan the programme and direct rehearsals and it is Ensemble’s current programme, entitled “Sondheim and Bernstein – Tonight!” which will be performed in The Old Kirk.

The programme includes many favourites from, for example, On the Town, Candide, Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music and, of course, Bernstein and Sondheim’s most famous collaboration, West Side Story.

It was the Ensemble group members’ themselves who decided that they wanted to support the Renal Outpatients Department.

Ensemble was formed in 1983 and the group has sung all over Fife, from village halls to National Trust for Scotland properties, in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perthshire and on Arran, annually at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for the last 25 years, and made 3 trips to Germany. Ensemble members believe they have given about 400 performances, helping to raise many tens of thousands of pounds for worthy causes.

Tickets for the concert are available by calling 01592 596904 and all proceeds from ticket sales will go directly to the Renal Outpatients Department.