The Ashburton Singers are celebrating their golden jubilee this year and will be taking to the road next month for a summer tour of charity fund-raising concerts featuring sacred and secular music performed at local churches.

The choir enjoys visiting some of the most beautiful churches in the area, helping with their charitable work and taking advantage of the often marvellous acoustics.

On the varied programme is music from the 15th century to the present day, chosen for its tunefulness and immediate appeal, including serene English Sacred Music from Byrd to Purcell, cheerful French Chansons, English Romantic Partsongs and meditative Russian Church music.

The first concert takes place at St David’s Church in Ashprington on July 4. The light and airy church has been perched high above the village since the middle of the 13th century and The Singers will be joined in concert there by the Ashprington and Tuckenhay Community Choir.

Seats can be pre-booked via [email protected] and there will be a retiring collection for Totnes Caring

St Raphael’s Church at Huccaby will host the SIngers on July 9. It’s he only Anglican church in Britain dedicated to the Archangel St Raphael, the building was designed to also house the village school.

Entry for this is free but there will be a retiring collection in aid of Church upkeep.

Kenton All Saints Church provides the final venue on July 11. Dating from around 1470 the church is renowned for its medieval rood screen and pulpit and Its gothic design provides excellent acoustics.

Admission to this is £10 on the door (to include glass of wine/punch and nibbles) and is in aid of ASK Friends, a community group which supports the conservation and maintenance of All Saints' Church, Kenton.

Details for the concerts, all of which start at 7.30pm, are available on the website www.ashburton singers.co.uk