Ben Rhydding resounded to African rhythms last Saturday as a local choir practised for a performance raising money for a Ugandan school and orphanage.

The Ben Rhydding Community Choir was putting the final touches to a number of songs they have been working on for a concert to be held next month. Sing for Matugga will take place at St John’s Church, Ben Rhydding, on Saturday, July 13.

It will be the second such concert performed by the choir, with the aim of raising money to support a school and orphanage in Matugga, Uganda. St John's has had strong links with the Revival Centre there for the past 12 years.

The centre’s director Pastor Ivan Lugolobi is in Ilkley and last Saturday he called in to hear part of the rehearsals and to thank choir members for their support of his work with children in Uganda.

Led by musician and composer Keely Hodgson, the Ben Rhydding Community Choir has been meeting to rehearse on just one Saturday morning each month since last September.

“It gets more exciting as we get nearer to the concert,” she said. “It's great to hear the harmonies coming together. We all feel so uplifted and it brings us together as a community, but most importantly we have the satisfaction of knowing that we’re doing this for a very good cause.”

Now in its second year, the choir has more than 50 members, many of whom had never sung in public before.

The concert is aimed at all ages and starts at 6.30pm. Tickets cost £5 for adults and £3 for children but under tens can attend for free.

The choir will also perform a short selection of its songs at Ben Rhydding Community Fete on Saturday, June 29.