Once-a-year, hundreds of amteur singers and up-and-coming young professional soloists come together to sing Handel’s Messiah at the Nidderdale Messiah. Every year, the group selects a local charity to support. For the twentieth anniversary of the Nidderdale Messiah, they chose to raise funds for the Active Against Cancer fund at Harrogate Hospital & Community Charity.
Active Against Cancer is a free NHS service which can be accessed by anyone in the Harrogate and District NHS Trust area who has received a cancer diagnosis. Many patients who receive treatment at the Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Centre also attend sessions with Active Against Cancer. Chair of Nidderdale Messiah Jane Burniston stated:
Supporting people who live with cancer is a cause close to my heart. Active Against Cancer provide specialist staff to support people with a cancer diagnosis with exercise.
Over 180 people attended the event, held at Holy Trinity Church in Knaresborough on Sunday 23rd November. The singers were led by conductor Anthony Gray, who had featured on BBC One’s “Gareth Malone’s Messiah” earlier in 2025.
The unique cultural fundraising event raised £4,013.50 for the Active Against Cancer service. Generous fundraising efforts like enable us to continue to enhance such special services like Active Against Cancer which have such a phenomenal impact on people living with cancer.
