A PROFESSIONAL cellist is taking his talent on the road to raise funds for the restoration of churches across the UK.

Pal Banda (below), a cellist who has been teaching chamber-music masterclasses for 20 years, has combined his enthusiasm for music and worship to help churches that are struggling to meet restoration costs. From next month, he will be travelling the country performing concerts in churches, the proceeds of which will be donated to the host.

Mr Banda said that the project was led by his desire to “give back to the beautiful buildings” that have “lent their acoustics” throughout his career as a classical musician, and those of hundreds of others.

All the churches he had performed in seemed to be “scraping by” on donations from the congregation, he said. He regretted that they could never “quite raise enough” be restored to a “high standard”.

His daughter, Sophie Banda, who is also a musician and works in public relations, is co-organising the year-long event. Money from ticket sales could be used for “any purpose”, she said, but the restoration of historic churches was the goal.

“We hope this series of concerts will do some genuine good for churches that are struggling to raise the requisite funds for necessary and urgent restoration work,” she said. “Or, otherwise, for those churches that wish to raise money for an extra-special event.”

For more information, phone Mr Banda on 07930 560013, or email him at palbanda@gmail.com.