NEED a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday working life?

Then pop along to Lion Walk Church, on a Wednesday, for one of its lunchtime concerts.

The series of classical recitals were first set up in 1986 by director of music at the church, Ian Ray.

He says: “I had seen similar concerts being put on elsewhere and I thought they would be good for the new church that had just been built.

“In the old church there wasn’t enough room and it didn’t really have a decent piano.”

Ian, who has been director of music at the church since 1969, retired from his post of head of singing at the Colchester Institute last year. For many years, he has been at the forefront of the local classical music scene.

As such, over the years, he has been able to get some very accomplished performers to appear at the concerts.

Ian adds: “The people we have are all professional musicians who live locally and are willing to give up their time to perform.

“Sometimes they come along because they want to try something new.

“The concerts last about half an hour and there is an opportunity for something to eat as well.

“We don’t charge for the concerts but do take a collection, which over the years has gone towards several charities.”

Ian says since starting, the concerts have been very popular, not only with retired people, but plenty of office workers, who use the concerts as a break from their busy working day.

He says: “We usually get about 50, “but recently we have been getting 90.”

Lunchtime concerts Lion Walk Church, Colchester Wednesdays, 1pm