JOHNNY Harris and his Big Band will be playing a gala concert at Hinchingbrooke Performing Arts Centre this May when you can be there and raise money for the New Life Appeal. The Hunts Post has teamed up with Dreamdrops, which has raised thousands of poun

JOHNNY Harris and his Big Band will be playing a gala concert at Hinchingbrooke Performing Arts Centre this May when you can be there and raise money for the New Life Appeal.

The Hunts Post has teamed up with Dreamdrops, which has raised thousands of pounds for the new children's unit at Hinchingbrooke Hospital, to put on a charity evening of music.

Bandleader Johnny Harris has agreed to bring his 18-piece band to play in Huntingdon on Saturday, May 17 with West End singer Mark Rattray providing the vocals.

Johnny has been in the music business since he was a young boy, having grown up in a musical family - his grandfather was head of the Queen's Light Infantry and Bandmaster.

He went on to become a leading saxophonist (collecting a number of Gold Discs for record sales along the way) and eventually to have his own band.

He has been playing and directing music for more than 50 years, and has played on television, for the Royal family, and even had to turn down a request to play for Frank Sinatra as he was already booked up!

Tickets for the evening cost £17.50 (£15 concessions) and will go on sale shortly. However, you can get one step ahead of the crowd by pre-registering for tickets by e-mailing editor@huntspost.co.uk, phoning 01480 411481 or calling into The Hunts Post's office in High Street Huntingdon. Tickets will also go on sale at outlets around the district.

All of the profits raised through the evening will be donated to the New Life Appeal and will be used to support the maternity unit and special care baby unit at Hinchingbrooke Hospital.

# There is also an opportunity for a business to sponsor the evening and allow even more money to be raised for the appeal. Interested parties should contact The Hunts Post editor, Andy Veale.