Announcing our first tour!
Vocatio:Responsio are proud to announce our first multi-concert project, including our first concert outside of Oxfordshire, as in March 2026 we look forward to spending time in Liverpool, the home city of our artistic director Samuel Oliver-Sherry. Our main focus will be delivering a benefit concert at St Michaels Church in Blundellsands, helping their Renovation Fund project.
This is a very exciting opportunity for our musicians, and Samuel is beyond thrilled to be introducing the group to his local community!
Monday 23rd March 2026:
Concert in Oxford (St Matthews Church, 8pm)
Before travelling just shy of 200 miles up north to Liverpool, we will first perform the programme in Vocatio:Responsio’s resident city of Oxford, where we will show our following what we have been working on, as well as raising awareness of the cause in St Michael’s to our audience that we’ve built in the city.
In order to help fund the tour, and its many expenses, all proceeds from this concert will go to Vocatio:Responsio. Tickets are available here.
Tuesday 24th March 2026:
Outreach with students of St Michael’s Church of England Academy (to be finalised)
We will then come to Liverpool, where we will spend a couple of action-packed days meeting the local community and experiencing the city. On the day we arrive, we are excited to spend an afternoon with the secondary school that partners the church we are coming to visit.
Samuel spent seven years as a student in St Michaels, and continues to visit to give music presentations, as well as meeting and working with Oxbridge candidates in its renowned sixth form.
Wednesday 25th March 2026:
Concert in Blundellsands, Crosby (St Michaels Church, 7pm)
To round off our tour, we will perform our second and last concert in St Michaels Church, with 100% of the ticket income supporting the church in its efforts to raise enough money to restore the church building from serious damages, particularly to its roof but also some of its interior. Tickets are available here.
Samuel has known the community of this church throughout his time at high school, and became a more regular staple in church life during his final year at school as he was appointed one of the regular organists of the church, accompanying the congregation in hymns (invariably getting the notes right).
Statement from Jan Owen, PCC secretary @ St Michael's Blundellsands
Our Church of St Michael’s has been a vital gathering place for prayer, support and friendship for nearly a century. It’s our special home where we celebrate life’s milestones – baptism, marriage and bereavement. It offers comfort and joy to our parishioners and local community and it’s the special place where we turn to when we face life’s challenges. Unfortunately, time had taken its toll on our church building so, in 2024, we commenced a major roof repairs contract which was completed in February 2025.
In order to meet the extraordinary costs of this project, St Michael’s launched a fundraising drive called ‘Raise the Roof Appeal Fund’. We relied heavily on our parishioners and local community for their support and providing raffle and auction prizes for a wide variety of fundraising events and they were extremely generous.
Our Raise the Roof campaign commenced in June 2024 with a Fashion Show hosted by ‘Colours’ of Manchester. In July, we celebrated ‘100 Years in the Parish of St Michael’s’ at our annual BBQ; In September we held a Bridge Invitation and Afternoon Tea. In November, we hosted a dinner at the West Lancashire Golf Club, when guest speaker Roger Dale gave us an amazing insight to ‘What You Don’t Know About Winston Churchill’ and, later that month, we hosted a ‘Poetry Afternoon’ bringing literary enthusiasts together. In 2025, we have hosted a concert by the Maghull Wind Orchestra in February and in August we again held our annual Summer BBQ.
At the same time our Treasurer worked exceptionally hard to secure various grants. The total sum raised from grants, fundraising events and donations to date is approximately £40,000.
Our next challenge to ensure the preservation of St Michael’s for future generations is the vital restoration work to the church interior. Severe internal damage to plasterwork and electrics has occurred due to water ingress over the years. We welcome the generous offer from Vocatio:Responsio in hosting their concert on Wednesday 25th March 2026 in church.