AN unprecedented gathering of community choirs, choruses and singers will come together in Cardiff Bay to “Sing for Water”.

On Sunday, May 31, a 700-strong Massed Voices Choir will gather to help transform lives in Ghana by singing for water at an event at Roald Dahl Plas (the Oval Basin, Cardiff Bay).

Individual choir performances start at 1pm at venues around the Oval Basin, and the massed choir performance is at 3pm.

The event will take place in aid of international charity WaterAid’s work in the Afram plains region of Ghana, and will see a massed choir of around 700 singers entertain the public with glorious harmony singing in the stunning setting of Roald Dahl Plas overlooking the sparkling waters of Cardiff Bay.

Sing for Water Cardiff is in its first year, but aims to become an annual fixture in the capitol’s cultural life, bringing hundreds of people together by having fun learning the songs and enjoying the benefits and wellbeing of group singing in the process.

Organised by four local women (Celia Webb, Laura Bradshaw, Pauline Down, and Sue Lay) – all Natural Voice community choir teachers running open groups in the Cardiff area.

They were inspired to launch this regional Sing for Water event after participating in the London event for many years, and in recognition of the enormous growth of interest in community singing in recent years.

The event has attracted a huge positive response so far and is supported by Cardiff’s Harbour Authority, Cardiff County Council and the Wales Millennium Centre to name but a few.

Over the last 12 years Sing For Water has raised £800,000 from similar events held all over the country.

“We are aiming to bring in £50 of fundraising per singer through sponsorship and donations…” say the four organisers, which would amount to a staggering £35,000 to support WaterAid's life-saving work in Ghana, and raise awareness of the Global water and sanitation crisis.

“Our wonderful singers are coming together with each other, their families and friends and colleagues - we’re all feeling a buzz of excitement, not to say nerves! We’ll be conducting hundreds of singers - a bit different to our usual weekly groups!”

The event will feature a range of water-related songs, such as a stunning arrangement of Moon River and Lead Belly’s ‘Bring Me Little Water Sylvie’ as well as a traditional Ghanaian folk song. There are rumours of a drumming group joining in too plus there will be Welsh songs in the mix of World songs and audience participation is guaranteed with Frank Hennessy introducing.

Sing for Water was co-founded by composer Helen Chadwick and The Mayor's Thames Festival in London as a project to raise money for WaterAid. Now, Sing for Water events take place across the UK.

Across the world, 748 million people have no safe water to drink, while 2.5 billion people lack access to sanitation, having a huge impact on their health, dignity, education and livelihoods.

Just £15 can enable one person to access a lasting supply of safe water, and so every penny raised through Sing for Water can make a real difference.

Tickets are free but the organisers are hoping people will give at least £1-per-song.

For more information and to take part see http://singforwatercardiff.org

If you would like to make a donation please go to justgiving.com/singforwatercardiff/ or sponsor any of the singers or choirs directly.