The annual Christmas Eve carol concert outside Wells Town Hall will this year raise funds for the Connect Centre, a local charity providing crucial support to homeless people in and around the city.

Organised by Wells Theatre Festival, the event aims to raise awareness of the charity's work, inspired by the plight of a local homeless man left with nowhere to go on a cold November night.

The Connect Centre Community Church runs drop-in services offering essential help to people facing complex challenges such as homelessness, addiction, or mental health struggles. V

isitors can access food, showers, clean clothes, advice, and support, including outreach nurses and workers. The centre also hosts activities like games, art, and music to foster a sense of community. The charity partners with StreetLink, a national service connecting rough sleepers to local outreach teams. Members of the public who encounter someone sleeping rough can send an alert via thestreetlink.org.uk to ensure they receive help.

The concert's fundraising focus was inspired by an incident involving Wells Theatre Festival member Fin Holdaway, who encountered a homeless man in need of urgent medical help at The Sheep and Penguin pub in Tucker Street. Despite Fin and his employer, Jan Forster, providing food and water and contacting 111, assistance was delayed. "We tried for hours to get him help," Fin said. "Eventually, 111 arranged for an ambulance, but it was going to take six hours. We agreed to take him to a 24-hour petrol station to shelter, but by morning he had vanished. I later found out about StreetLink and wished I'd known sooner."

Each week, around 150 people use the centre's services, including a Sunday lunch supported by 30 volunteers. The cost of providing these services is £400 a week, relying entirely on public donations.

Ruth Wright, Community Worker at the Connect Centre, described the impact of the charity: "Our service users describe the drop-ins as feeling homely, like being part of a family. We're so grateful to the Christmas Choir and Wells Theatre Festival for their support."

The Christmas Eve concert, conducted by Peter Kingston, will feature former Wells Cathedral choristers and other performers. For a £4 donation, attendees can enjoy mulled wine, mince pies, and carols. Peter said: "At Christmas, we think of the homeless people in and around Wells. This year, we are delighted to keep our fundraising truly local."

Ros Johnson, Artistic Director of Wells Theatre Festival, added: "Christmas is a special family time, but it's also an opportunity to support those facing homelessness. The concert is a wonderful way for the community to come together and help those in need."

The concert begins at 6pm on 24 December and will last around an hour. All funds raised will go towards supporting the Connect Centre's vital work.