A Frome singer has helped raise £30,000 for local charities over a decade as part of an all-female supergroup.
Female of the Species played their farewell show last month, bringing ten years of fundraising gigs to a close.
The group brought together five singers from popular local bands, including Frome’s Claire Perry, Jules Moreton, Charmaigne Andrews, Julia Hanratty and Nicky Davis, backed by local musicians.
The group has spent a decade performing fundraising gigs for charities ranging from the Bath and Wiltshire Air Ambulance to smaller organisations such as Voices, a Bath-based domestic violence charity that has personally supported Claire.
At the farewell show in Melksham last month, the band raised over £3,000 for Voices. Claire said, “They are just such a fantastic charity. They supported me after I reported an historic domestic abuse crime and referred me for counselling. They are not government funded and have to raise every penny themselves; when we told them, they were nearly in tears.”
Claire, known for wearing a trilby on stage, added, “I went around the crowd during the set to fill the hat with extra donations. It was such a brilliant night. We are sad to see it end, but we have become a little family. The friendships, laughter and camaraderie over the years have been incredible.”
The band have been recognised for their fundraising efforts with a Civic Award, a thank-you from the Chartered Institute of Fundraising, and a letter from Queen Camilla.
Although this was their farewell fundraising gig, Female of the Species are still available for events and can be contacted via their Facebook page.
