‘Concert for the Countryside’ — Unique event inspires the audience!

‘What a stunning occasion! BRAVO for a wonderful and memorable concert…’

‘What a truly wonderful evening it was on Sunday!  Every aspect of it was inspiring from the young people playing so beautifully to the evocative films, to Debbie Wiseman’s beautiful new piece… it was one of the most special events we have ever been to’.

‘It was a wonderful night! We were all in tears by how moving the music and film were together!’

‘Fabulous.  Bristol should be so proud of having their own youth orchestra playing in this top venue’.

The ‘Concert for the Countryside’ was a resounding success! Thank you to everyone who supported us and to Jonathan Dimbleby for introducing the Concert and Mary-Ann Ochota, President of CPRE for her presentation which looked with hope to young people from all backgrounds and cultures to help our countryside thrive in future.

Celebrating the Centenary of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) on March 29th, 2026, Bristol Youth Orchestra gave the performance of their lives and the audience responded with rapturous applause.

English music from composers such as Elgar, Vaughan Williams and Samual Coleridge-Taylor charmed the audience as film depicted the countryside before the 2nd World War and during Wartime. Young soloist, Nathanael Moss gave a sensitive and moving performance of the Adagio from Elgar’s Cello Concerto.

Even more delights were on offer as the world premiere of ‘Regenerate, Protect and Celebrate’ written by Debbie Wiseman, OBE to celebrate the Centenary, depicted Post War Britain in the countryside. Film showed the mechanisation of agriculture bringing increased food production but at the expense of wildlife as toxic chemicals were sprayed on crops. As the nature conservation movement grew, nature reserves were acquired and provided sanctuaries for wildlife.

A concert favourite, Elgar’s Enigma Variations was performed as film on screen showed the beauty of our countryside; the rise in nature-friendly farming and the joy of being close to wildlife.

CPRE Avon and Bristol would like to thank David Parker and Bob Pitt for selecting and editing film for this Concert, putting into context our stewardship of the land across one hundred years.

Ensuring a lasting legacy of the Concert, members of Bristol Youth Orchestra helped plant 100 trees that will form a Woodland Grove at Pensford, near Bristol. Planting Day also introduced them to young people from Babbasa, a social enterprise in Bristol, with whom CPRE Avon and Bristol works to ensure access to the countryside for all.

If you would like to donate to our Woodland Grove and Hedgerow Appeal here is a link:

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/cpre-woodland-grove-appeal

The Concert shone a light on the work of CPRE across many years. CPRE Avon and Bristol will continue to stand up for our countryside and protect it for future generations of people and wildlife.