For the first time ever, the Choristers of Wells Cathedral have stayed overnight in the 850-year-old Wells Cathedral.

On Friday, May 27, 26 Choristers, accompanied by seven adults, camped out in the Cathedral to raise funds for UNICEF'S Ukraine Appeal and raised an incredible sum (including Gift Aid) of £2,870.25!

The images of the desperate situation for those in Ukraine, and those who are fleeing or have fled the country, have affected us all. This is a particularly horrific time for the children of Ukraine, and the Choristers wanted to do something to help them.

Tents were pitched and sleeping bags rolled out onto the cold stone floor for the 14-hour overnight stay. Activities were laid on for the evening, including a sing-along, a film screening, and a craft session where the children could make their own sleep masks! After a long, cold, uncomfortable night(!), everyone rose early for breakfast on the Cathedral Green kindly provided by the Ancient Gatehouse Hotel.

Jeremy Cole, Director of Music at the Cathedral, said: "As far as we know, this is the first time our Choristers have camped in the Cathedral overnight in our Cathedral's long history. It has been so exciting for the children and adults alike to spend the night under medieval stone vaulting, with the clock continuing to chime on the hour!

"We are immensely grateful to all who have supported the Choristers' efforts via JustGiving, and we are thrilled to have raised such a lot for the Ukraine Appeal. It has not only been a terrific fundraiser, but also an incredible bonding experience for our Choristers."

Boy choristers on the Cathedral Green

Thanks go to the Cathedral Chapter and staff of the Cathedral and Wells Cathedral School for their help with and support of this event. 

More than half of Ukraine's 7.5 million children have now been forced to flee the ongoing violence. Homes, schools, water supplies, and hospitals have been damaged or destroyed. Children have been separated from their families, and hundreds of thousands of people have been left without clean water, food, or electricity. Explosives are a daily threat to children's lives. UNICEF are working around the clock in Ukraine and at the borders of neighbouring countries, providing access to clean water, health care services, and other critical support. As the refugee crisis grows, their teams in Poland, Moldova, Belarus, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, and Czech Republic are working closely with their UN partners to provide more humanitarian aid for children and families on the move. With your kind support, UNICEF can help more children and families affected by this crisis.