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Join CPRE Bristol & Avon for ‘A Concert for the Countryside’
To celebrate 100 years of CPRE, our neighbours at CPRE Avon & Bristol are partnering with the Bristol Youth Orchestra for a special one‑night event: ‘A Concert for the Countryside’ at Bristol Beacon on Sunday 29th March.
The concert will bring together live orchestral music and archive film to tell the story of the countryside from 1926 to today. Through changing landscapes, rural communities, environmental challenges and future hopes, the evening will reflect the beauty and importance of the countryside CPRE has championed for a century.
The Bristol Youth Orchestra will perform music inspired by our landscapes, conducted by Musical Director Tim Harrison, against a stunning backdrop of film curated by documentary filmmaker David Parker and oral historian Bob Pitt. The programme includes the world premiere of a new commissioned work by composer Debbie Wiseman OBE, alongside pieces by Vaughan Williams, Coleridge‑Taylor, Elgar and others.
The concert highlights the work CPRE and its volunteers have led over the past century; from protecting cherished landscapes to advocating for better planning, supporting nature recovery and promoting thriving, sustainable rural communities.
Across the country, CPRE branches are working to:
- restore hedgerows, woodlands and wildlife habitats
- champion renewable energy that fits sensitively within the landscape
- promote affordable rural housing and protect green spaces for all
- campaign for responsible land use that supports nature, farming and local people
Here in CPRE Gloucestershire, we share those same goals. From hedgerow restoration to advocating for better planning decisions and celebrating the county’s countryside through our Awards, we’re proud to support our friends at CPRE Avon & Bristol to mark this centenary moment.
As part of the celebrations, 100 young trees will be planted by members of the orchestra and CPRE volunteers to create a new Centenary Woodland Grove within the Great Avon Wood; a living symbol of our shared commitment to nature recovery and our Hedgerow Heroes initiative.
Join the celebration
A Concert for the Countryside is open to all — find out more and book your tickets via Bristol Beacon’s website:
