A SPECIAL concert showcasing the overlooked talents of 120 York people has been hailed as a spectacular success after raising more than £2,700 for charity.

The event at York St John University was dedicated to the memory of York teenager Ella Batters, 18, of Heslington, who died tragically on holiday last summer of the adult version of cot death.

Her mother Karen Raffan described the concert as a ‘very emotional evening’ and said seeing everyone sing together as one had been ‘extremely powerful and moving,’ adding: “Ella would have been so proud of us all.”

The concert, dubbed The Imagine Project, involved elderly residents at risk of isolation, people who have used mental health services, and adults and children with learning difficulties and disabilities.

It was staged by student Wayne Dawson, who was asked by Karen to sing Imagine at Ella’s funeral after she happened to hear him busking John Lennon’s classic song just after her death. The pair then became close friends.

The concert involved a choir from Musical Connections, which provide musical experiences for elderly members of society at risk of isolation, from Converge, which provides educational opportunities for people who have used mental health service providers and from Accessible Arts and Media, which offers sessions for adults and children with learning difficulties.

Each choir sang a verse from Imagine, rewritten by the members of each charity, before they combined to sing the chorus as one large ensemble of 120 people, and they also sing Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.

Wayne said yesterday: “It was such a spectacular evening and everyone did a phenomenal job. I am so honoured to have shared the stage with all of the wonderful charities involved and to have been able to showcase how fabulous and talented the participants are.”

He said Karen and her friend Nicky Jackson did an ‘outstanding job’ with refreshments and a raffle, which raised more than £1,000, with items generously donated by local businesses, friends, and family.

Fiona Chapman, director of Musical Connections, said: “The Musical Connections performers had a wonderful evening singing alongside the other charities in front of a great audience - the atmosphere was amazing.”

A friend of Karen, Debs Rathbone, said: “Seeing the joy in every member of each of the choir’s eyes as they sang their hearts out was wonderful and very powerful.”

*Anyone wanting to donate to the appeal can go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/wayne-dawson1