A CRITICALLY acclaimed police choir is gearing up for a three-date tour in Dorset churches.

In constant demand, the Gloucestershire Police Male Voice Choir tours throughout the country performing free concerts to raise money for charitable causes.

Keith Barrett, the choir’s tour coordinator, said: “We have 60 plus members and we will be taking 41 singers on tour with us.

"We don’t charge for our performances, we do it all for charity and for our love of singing. I think we are different to most choirs in that we have a great sense of comradeship and we enjoy ourselves.”

While the group regularly play in grand venues and churches, they also travel across the British Isle performing in town halls, shopping malls and barns.

“I don’t know how much money we have raised for charity over the years but it is a considerable amount. We perform for free and allow the churches to keep any profits or donate to a charity of their choice.”

The choir was formed in 1970 and consists of serving members of the regular force, Special Constabulary, support staff and others affiliated with the police service.

Keith said: “The music we sing is a real mix across the board, it is a nice varied programme and each performance will include a soloist performance.”

The choir has toured internationally in America and Germany as well as extensively in the UK including prestigious venues such as the Royal Albert Hall and and Birmingham Symphony Hall.

In recent years, the choir has sung in York Minster and the Anglican Cathedral of Liverpool, as well as the cathedrals of Derby, Durham, Gloucester, Guildford, Hereford, Llandaff, Peterborough, Salisbury, Winchester, and Worchester.

The choir will perform at St Peter’s Church, Dorchester, on Friday, May 5 and All Saints Church, Wyke Regis, on Saturday, May 6 from 7.30pm.

They will also perform a lunchtime recital at Sherborne Abbey at 1pm on Monday, May 8.