Sponsor a transformative choral experience fostering hope and welcome to be held at Reading Minster on Saturday 25th April 2026.

My name is Rev. Amy Sykes and I am raising funds to produce a one-off choral concert - an evening of music and story, bringing local people together across difference.

This concert has four core aims:

-To draw diverse communities together in a shared choral experience that fosters connection and belonging.

-To inspire creativity, imagination and hope through music; offering a powerful counter-narrative to division.

-To amplify local refugee voices, hearing stories from people in our community with lived experience of displacement.

-To raise vital funds for the Reading Refugee Group, with 100% of ticket-sale profits donated directly to them.

Funds raised through this page have been used to engage professional singers from the Sansara Choir (www.sansarachoir.com): an exceptional ensemble known for their expressive and immersive performances. Sansara will lead the concert, performing a selection of beautiful choral works and guiding the audience through moments of participation, breathwork, and shared soundscapes, creating an experience that is inclusive and memorable.

Local choirs (and any individual who would like to) are invited to rehearse with the Musical Director before the concert, culminating in a final piece sung together on the night - a tangible expression of celebration and community.

Other artists are also contributing to the evening: award-winning soprano, Ruby Hughes; Mercury nominated musicians, Dave Okumu and Tom Herbert; acclaimed photographer Jillian Edelstein; local Ukranian choir, Kryla.

All surplus funds will go towards a final gift to the Refugee Support Group.

At a time when public discourse is often shaped by fear and polarisation, this concert seeks to interrupt divisive narratives, inviting us instead to encounter one another with curiosity and compassion. Music has a unique ability to remind us of our shared humanity. This evening will be both artistically beautiful, as well as meaningful - a gift for us to unpack together.

Sponsorship opportunities

I am seeking individual and corporate sponsorship to help make this event possible. Sponsors will be acknowledged on any published materials (unless you prefer to remain anonymous), demonstrating support for:

-community cohesion

-creativity, wellbeing, and inclusion

-refugee welcome and integration

-arts-led social impact

Your contribution will enable professional artistic leadership while ensuring that all of the ticket income can be fully directed towards supporting refugees locally.

Thank you for considering partnering in this event. Do contact me with any questions.

NB. Although I happen to be a local member of clergy, I am organising this in my capacity as a human being, living in Reading.