A family concert helped raise thousands of pounds to help Kensington’s most vulnerable children.

The concert at St Cuthbert with St Matthias Church in Earls Court on Saturday (June 21) was packed to the rafters as over £8,000 was raised for a new intensive support programme from Solidarity Sports - a charity which helps disadvantaged children in Kensington.

Rock Choir Chiswick, the UKs largest contemporary choir, headlined the popular evening.

The new programme will reach out to the most vulnerable children in Kensington with one-to-one support and each child receiving 342 hours of care from the charity each year to help them feel protected, valued and loved and to be healthy and appreciated in a safe environment.

Kensington and Chelsea’s new mayor and psychiatric nurse, Maighread Condon-Simmonds, said: “It was a delight to be at the concert and to hear first hand about the valuable works which will be supported by the money raised. Solidarity Sports is not a large charity but it makes an enormous difference to the lives of those it helps.”

Children who are helped by Solidarity Sports along with supporters of the charity

There was also a charity auction, with a pair of Sugar Ray Leonard’s boxing gloves, a year’s KX Gym membership and a night at The Milestone hotel on offer, helping to raise money for children dealing with domestic violence, grief and parental drug abuse and depression.

Maryam, 11, has benefitted from the charity’s work. She said: “Solidarity Sports has helped me make new friends, play sports and learn about healthy eating. When we went on holiday to PGL in the Isle of Wight it was the best time of my life!”

The charity’s founder and director, Sean Mendez said the event was a remarkable success but there is still a long way to go to ensure all children who need help receive it. “I would urge anyone interested in the work that we do, to get involved with Solidarity Sport and see how you can make a real difference to a disadvantaged child’s life.”

Go to solidaritysports.org for more information.