VOICES from the Great Western Hospital’s Choir will lift the roof of a Wiltshire church to raise funds for a new breast cancer treatment.

Staff at the hospital with a love of singing came together earlier this year to form the GWH Choir, and on Saturday they will put on a charity gala along with five other choirs in aid of the GWH’s breast cancer treatment appeal.

Last week staff began training on the intra-operative radiotherapy equipment which has the potential to change the lives of 150 Swindon women each year But, in order to keep the machine on the premises, the GWH needs to raise £75,000 to pay for the lease.

The treatment, which will only take about 25 minutes, works by zapping the breast cancer with radiotherapy while the patient is still in the operating room.

It should cut down recovery time as well as sparing patients of the long journey to Oxford or Bath to receive traditional radiotherapy following their operation.

Choirmaster Jules Addison said: “This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase the new choir at the GWH and will also confirm the value of community singing.

“As a choirmaster, my role is to bring people together to have fun and enjoy singing. “If we can do this, while at the same time raising thousands of pounds for a very worthy cause, then I will be delighted to have been part of this venture.”

Brighter Futures, the GWH NHS Foundation Trust’s charity which helps to fund new treatments not available through the NHS budget, has already raised £15,000 after starting the campaign in March.

Jen Green, the head of fundraising for Brighter Futures, said last week: “We have hit £15,000, but we still have some way to go to the £75,000 target and we really hope that people in Swindon will continue to get behind the campaign.”

The concert will take place at St Andrew’s Church, in Chippenham, from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. Tickets are £10 in advance or £12 on the door.

To buy tickets online visit www.julesaddison.co.uk or call 01225 302143.

To find out more about the Great Western Hospital Choir and meet some of its members visit www.gwh.nhs.uk. To fundraise or find out more about the breast cancer appeal email fundraising@gwh.nhs.uk or call 01793 605631.

To donate to the cause, visit justgiving.com/brighterfutures3.