A charitable Welwyn Garden City community choir has reached a major fundraising target two years earlier than hoped.

With the donations collected from their latest performance, Singing For Pleasure ticked over £200,000 raised for various local and national charities since the choir was formed in November, 1980.

Their target date for the milestone was their 40th anniversary in 2020, after reaching £100,000 shortly before their 20th anniversary.

Chairwoman and musical director Glynis Rogers co-founded Singing For Pleasure with her husband Cliff and since his passing in November 2014, she has carried on his legacy.

“I’m very, very pleased (to have reached the milestone), considering I lost my beloved Cliff four years ago,” Mrs Rogers said.

“He died very suddenly and it has been difficult to carry on without him, but with the help of family and friends and the choir, I’ve managed to keep it going.”

Singing For Pleasure, which currently has 35 members, have recently raised money for MND Association, Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, Isabel Hospice, Macmillan Cancer Support and Hertfordshire Domestic Abuse Helpline.

The choir were less than £1000 short of their £200,000 goal after their Summer Concert in July.

With plans for their 40th anniversary celebrations underway, Mrs Rogers said Singing For Pleasure would continue on as usual towards the next milestone,

“We’ll just keep going ... £300,000 is the next target,” she said.