MEMBERS of a York charity visited Castle Howard for a tour of the stately home and the site where a popular Proms event will be held this year.

Two people who take part in a project run by Accessible Arts & Media (AAM), as well as their support workers and two members of staff from the charity joined Nicholas Howard, who owns the property, for the tour around the house and gardens.

Castle Howard Proms takes place on August 18, and AAM is the charity partner for the event.

The Proms is an outdoor picnic classical concert set against the lakeside backdrop of Castle Howard.

It opens with a Spitfire flypast, and closes with a spectacular firework finale.

Now in its 27th year, it is one of the largest UK Proms concerts outside Hyde Park.

This year it will feature renowned Yorkshire soprano Lesley Garrett, who will be joining more than 120 performers on stage, including guest soloist Geraint Dodd, a 70 piece choir, and the London Gala Orchestra, for a programme including Handel’s Zadok the Priest, Bizet’s Habanera, Verdi’s Grand March (Aida) and Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King.

Members of AAM will be attending to enjoy the concert, and to share with the audience their inspirational and uplifting joy of music – raising awareness and support for what they do, and the pleasure it brings to all who encounter it, as well as for themselves.

AAM is a charity based in Acomb, York, and have been running inclusive arts and creative media learning projects in and around York since 1982.

They support more than 700 people each year, including disabled adults and young people, older people in residential care and people with mental ill health.