Battle Proms concerts a rousing success for SSAFA

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07 August 2024

A series of four concerts organised by JSL Productions have raised more than £43,000 for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity.

The concerts took place in the grounds of four of the UK’s most celebrated stately homes, starting on Saturday, July 6 at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, followed by Burghley House in Lincolnshire on July 13. A week later they performed at Hatfield Park in Hertfordshire on July 20, and the season finale took place on August 3 at Highclere Castle in Hampshire, known to many as “The Real Downton Abbey”.

Fittingly, the theme to the famed TV series was performed by the New English Concert Orchestra at all four venues, and the programme included other delights such as The Dam Busters March, Gershwin’s Summertime, Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, and Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, and their signature piece Beethoven’s Battle Symphony (Wellington’s Victory).

Concert-goers were also treated to a show of Cavalry through the Ages, displays from the British Army’s Red Devils parachute display team, and the Grace Spitfire, which was in action on D-Day and accompanied the opening orchestral pieces including Elgar’s Nimrod.

Verity Harding, Head of Events at SSAFA, said: “We are so grateful for the generosity of the audiences at the four Battle Proms concerts across the summer. We have raised more than £43,000 and couldn’t have done it without the fantastic support of the organisers, JSL Productions, venue hosts, and our amazing team of volunteers.

“This money will help SSAFA support our Armed Forces community – its serving men and women, veterans and their families. So, ‘thank you’ to all who’ve supported us by attending, volunteering and donating to SSAFA, we are so grateful.”