Central Hall Westminster hosted a charity gala music evening to mark the centenary of the end of First World War hostilities, attended by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
The Royal Armouries’ 100 Days to Peace was a one-off gala evening of music and reflection, held in the central London venue’s Great Hall and featuring Sir Karl Jenkins and hosted by Lesley Garrett CBE. Proceeds from the evening, attended by over 1,500, benefited three charities – Help for Heroes; Combat Stress and Heads Together - The Royal Foundation’s campaign and mental health initiative – all of whose work supports military veterans suffering from mental health conditions. On arrival at the iconic early-20th Century venue situated opposite Westminster Abbey, The Duke and Duchess were greeted by the Royal Armouries Chair of Trustees, General The Lord Dannatt GCB CBE MC DL and the Reverend Tony Miles, Deputy Superintendent of the church, Methodist Central Hall. The highlight of the evening saw Sir Karl Jenkins, one of the most performed living composers in the world, conduct his internationally-acclaimed The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace. Performed by the Royal Choral Society and the Philharmonia Orchestra with a solo by Kathryn Rudge, this was the only performance in England this year of one of the award-winning composer’s best loved works that was conducted by Sir Karl himself. The stirring music was performed against a backdrop of Hefin Owen’s film of The Armed Man. Sir Karl Jenkins composed The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace in 1999 when he was commissioned by the Royal Armouries to write a piece of music that marked the start of the new millennium and reflected the renewed hope for the future. In addition to hosting the evening, Lesley Garrett performed two songs, poignant reminders of the First World War including a poem by WB Yeats, set to music by Sir Karl Jenkins. Samuel Bordoli’s The Great Silence, was also performed by the Royal Choral Society, whilst the 2018 Armistice installation, There But Not There, for the charity Remembered, honoured the memory of those killed in the First World War. Lord Dannatt commented: “We were absolutely delighted to welcome The Duke and Duchess of Sussex to the Central Hall Westminster for this commemorative event. We have been overwhelmed by the support shown by our sponsors, ambassadors and all three beneficiary charities.” “The Royal Armouries is committed to making a difference to the thousands of ex-service men and women living with anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other combat related mental health conditions.” Paul Southern, Managing Director of Central Hall Westminster, added: “We were truly honoured to welcome the Duke and Duchess of Sussex through our doors for this superb charity event which reflects our own values. As a charity ourselves existing to help others, we felt extremely proud to provide such a fitting venue for this event.” -ENDS- Notes to Editors: About The Royal Armouries The Royal Armouries is committed to making a difference to the thousands of ex-service men and women living with anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other combat related mental health conditions. To achieve this, the national museum is working in partnership with Help for Heroes, Combat Stress and Heads Together - The Royal Foundation’s Campaign and Mental Health Initiative. • Royal Armouries has sites in Leeds, HM Tower of London and Fort Nelson in Hampshire. • The Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds houses a major part of the national collection of arms and armour, and displays over 8,500 objects throughout its five themed galleries. • Open all year daily, 10am-5pm. Closed 24-26 December • Website: www.royalarmouries.org About Central Hall Westminster Central Hall Westminster (CHW) is central London’s largest purpose-built conference and events centre, combining historical elegance with cutting-edge technical capabilities. The unique Edwardian landmark building situated adjacent to Westminster Abbey is the home of a culturally diverse Methodist Church and has engaged high profile conferences, special events and local business meetings since 1912. Central Hall Westminster is a not for profit company that exists to enhance its architecturally significant building and to provide money for charitable works all over the world. With a maximum capacity of 2,400, Central Hall Westminster offers 25 event spaces, including: •The Great Hall – Seats up to 2,000 delegates and features Europe’s largest self-supporting domed ceiling, creating a uniquely intimate atmosphere in the circular shaped, tiered balcony hall with natural daylight. •Library and Lecture Hall – The bright and spacious halls provide flexible space flooded with natural light for up to 1,100 delegates. •Six rooms up to 150 delegates - All rooms offer flexible configurations combined with natural light/ blackout facilities. By using adjacent rooms and spacious foyers, unique event spaces can be created, allowing for breakout sessions, catering and registration. •13 rooms for up to 60 delegates - With beautiful original features, Central Hall Westminster’s smaller rooms provide an elegant setting for meetings from 20 to 60 guests. The architectural features of the building include the iconic dome, spacious entrance foyers and hallways, marble flooring and a sweeping Grand staircase, the design of which is based on the Paris Opera House. Website: www.c-h-w.com Twitter: @CentralHall Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centralhallwestminster/
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