Rotary Concert for Charity

The Rotary Club of Gibraltar recently held a Christmas Charity Concert in St Michael's Cave. The evening was well attended with over three hundred members of the public supporting the event. The programme started with the National Anthem played by the full Band of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment and conducted by the band master, Justin Gooch.



The Royal Gibraltar Regiment Band directed by Justin Gooch



This was followed by a selection of music from the band accompanied by the magical vocal skills and sounds of the National Choir directed by Lili Olivero. A beautiful rendition of Hallelujah was sung by soloist Jamie Barry and Manuel Bonavia delighted everyone with his excellent guitar medley. The first half of the programme ended with the spectacular and eerie performance of the 'skeleton' dance, a display rarely seen outside military circles executed by the corps of Drums of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment.

National Choir directed by Lili Olivero

Jamie Barrie & Manuel Bonavia



Corp of Drums



The prize draw was held at the beginning of the second half of the programme. The lucky winner received an all-inclusive Romantic Valentine's Weekend for two at the Mill Hotel & Spa in the Roman city of Chester, UK with return flight tickets from Gibraltar to Manchester kindly donated by Monarch Airlines ending in a romantic special Valentine's dinner at the 55 Private Members Club in Main Street, Gibraltar. The prize and bouquet of flowers was jointly presented by the owner of the Mill Hotel (and long-standing Rotarian) Mr Gordon Vickers together with Miss Gibraltar, Larissa Dalli who was escorted on to the stage by Rotary President, Mr Julian Risso.



Julian Risso, Henry Sacramento, Larissa Dalli, Gordon Vickers & winner



The second half of the programme continued with young soloist Kate McCullough delighting everyone with her song 'Time to Say Goodbye' followed by soloist Phillip Borge's performance of 'Remember when it Rained'. Gibraltar's own virtuoso pianist, Aaron Monteverde, once again amazed the audience with two accomplished pieces, the first from Spanish composer, Campuzano followed by Mr. Monteverde's own composition 'Libertad'.





Kate McCullough










Phillip Borge







Aaron Monteverde



Altogether the performers created a really memorable charity concert in a truly unique and majestic setting.

The entire evening was professionally compered by Mr Henry Sacramento.

Henry Sacramento



Present were His Excellency the Governor and Patron of the Gibraltar Rotary Club, Sir Adrian Johns, his wife Suzie, the Commander British Forces, Mr Tom Karsten and the Commanding Officer of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment Lt. Col. Colin Risso MC were present

A huge thank you goes out to the public who attended, sponsors & the artists & everyone who helped to make this event an unparallelled success. The evening enabled the Rotary Club of Gibraltar to raise a substantial amount for worthy local charities such as Calpe House & the Royal Gibraltar Regiment Welfare Fund.