YORK folk singer-songwriter Toni Bunnell will launch her seventh album, Heart To Home, at the Acoustic and Folk Mini-Fest run by York’s Little Festival of Live Music at the Black Swan Inn on Peasholme Green on March 31.

She will be selling copies, so festival-goers should either head to the merchandise table or see Toni after her performance. Alternatively, the CD will be available to buy online from the same day at tonibunnell.com.

The album features 12 new songs and will be showcased by multi-instrumentalist Toni on bouzouki, guitar, Appalachian dulcimer and hurdy gurdy.

"I'm thrilled to be performing at the mini-fest, which will help enormously the charity that York’s Little Festival of Live Music has chosen to support," she says. "I'm also delighted to be launching my latest album in one of my favourite venues in York."

Ellen Cole, the festival curator, says: "I adore working with Toni and was over the moon when I heard that she wanted to be a part of this year’s festival. Toni is the perfect story-teller through folk music and her performances are truly mesmerising."

Through the years, Toni has performed at folk clubs and festivals in Britain and Germany, as well as on television and radio, and she has received acclaim for such albums as Tune On A Shady Beach and Where I Come From. She is also a wildlife biologist, broadcaster and writer of stories and has run a hedgehog rescue centre for 27 years.

She will participating in a festival that promises Celtic, gypsy, modern folk, gentle Americana and Nordic music. "We even have a Viking-style band performing, which is going to be a treat," says Ellen. "This year we're fundraising for The Island Mentoring Scheme, a charity that supports vulnerable children and young people living in York. It’s a great charity, which does great work with many children, and I was delighted that they wanted to be a part of this adventure."

Joining Bunnell in the mini-fest line-up will be Scarlett Gordon; gypsy Celtic group Leather’o; Norse folk group Bruni; acoustic musician David Ward Maclean; Plumhall’s Nick Hall, performing a rare solo set, and folk-Americana headline act Edwina Hayes.

Doors will open at 2.15pm for the 2.30pm to 9pm event. Admission is free but a suggested donation of £5 will be welcomed; these donations will be given entirely to the chosen charity.

For more information on the Acoustic and Folk Mini-Fest, go to facebook.com/YorksLittleFestivalOfLiveMusic, follow on Twitter @live_music_fest or email yorkslivemusicfestival@gmail.com.