A PLAN for a major festival of classical music has been given a lukewarm welcome by Ludlow Town Council.

The council had been asked for £500 to support the festival in the summer but decided to only come up with half of that amount despite hearing that it will open the world of classical music to more than 400 children.

Shaun Ward, who is head of music and clerk of works at St Laurence's Church, said that he knew from first-hand knowledge how valuable music can be.

“It could be said that I came from a deprived background having been brought up on a Bristol council estate by a widowed mother,” said Mr Ward.

He said that the Church had given him access to classical music.

Mr Ward said that the initiative is nothing to do with St Laurence's Church and that the festival pays the church to use the building.

Mr Ward told Ludlow Town Council that the festival, that will take place between Saturday, June 13 and Sunday, June 21, is expensive to run and a similar event last year had generated a profit of just £600 from a turnover of £72,000.

The programme is being organised by ‘Arts @ St Laurence’ which is made up of seven people, five of whom are volunteers.

It will stage live performances combined with educational outreach events involving local schools with the aim of bringing classical music to more than 400 young people aged between seven and nine years.

The performers on the programme include Victor Lim, a finalist in the BBC Young Musician event.

There will also be a brass concert by Andrew Maher of the Halle Orchestra, Simon Powell from the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Ben Thomson, who is a member of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, and Tim Barber and Matthew Palmer, both busy freelance trumpet players.

A celebration of the music of Henry Purcell is planned and the festival will end with a candlelight gala dinner in the chancel of St Laurence's.

Paul Draper, mayor of Ludlow, said that he supported the initiative but suggested that with ‘money tight’ £250 would be a more appropriate grant.