Stir your soul with the first ever Welsh Male Voice Choir performance at Canterbury Cathedral

This event rounds off a great 25th anniversary year for the Society with a rousing performance including noted tenor Rhys Merion.

The event, in aid of the Alzheimer's Society local branches in Canterbury and Ashford, promises to captivate audiences in the way now familiar to this renowned Choir. Founded in 1802 by English based Welsh exiles today's 120 strong choir continues to enthral audiences around the country and regularly tours more exotic climes. The Choir's prestigious reputation is crystallised in leading the bi-annual 1000 voices festival at the Royal Albert Hall and in entertaining fans at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, Wembley Stadium and Lords cricket ground.

Rhys Meirion made his Glyndebourne debut as Edmondo in Manon Lescaut in 1999, the same year he joined the English National Opera as a company principle. His roles have included Marcello in La Boheme, Alfredo in La Traviata and Zinovy in Lady Macbeth of Mtzensk. Rhys has appeared on the BBC proms, on BBC2's Verdi's Requiem and at Cheltenham and Swansea Festivals.

The Choir are singing at five other Cathedrals' for the Alzheimer's Society in the coming 18 months, including Winchester, Ely, and Bury St Edmonds.

Notes for editors:

• The Alzheimer's Society is the UK's leading care and research charity for people with dementia and their carers and celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2004.
• The Canterbury and District Branch offers vital information and support to carers and to people with dementia, acting as the link helping people with local knowledge and one to one support in the area. Details of all our local activities are available through the branch helpline, 01227 730000.
• Over 750,000 people in the UK have dementia. More than half have Alzheimer's disease.
• Dementia affects one in 20 people over the age of 65 and one in five over the age of 80.
• There are 18,500 people in the UK under the age of 65 with dementia.
• Â For information and advice on Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia call the Alzheimer's Society national helpline on 0845 300 0336
• Our website address is: http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/