STUDENTS from the University of Chichester are hoping that a charity gala performance will raise thousands of pounds for Children in Need.

Musical theatre undergraduates are performing at the Kings Theatre in Portsmouth in aid of the foundation which supports young people with disabilities.

The event, on October 1, is a co-production between the University, the Portsmouth-based Academy of Musical Theatre, and Kings to coincide with the Edwardian playhouse’s 110-year anniversary.

Evie Evans-Wright, a third-year student at Chichester, said: “To have been given the opportunity to perform and raise money for such an iconic charity is truly heart-warming.

“It is a special day to look forward to and I feel privileged to perform in the gala.”

The two-and-a-half-hour showcase, starting at 7:30pm, will feature performances from the University’s BA (Hons) Musical Theatre Performance degree which is intended for aspiring artists interested in vocal performance, dance, and acting.

Second-year undergraduate James Molyneux-Watson said: “It is truly an honour to be given the unexpected opportunity to work at this incredible theatre, especially for such a great cause and the chance to perform in front of a huge audience.”

The national Children in Need fundraiser, which is to broadcast on the BBC three weeks after the gala performance, on Thursday October 19, has raised more than £600million since the telecast was first shown in 1980.

The Portsmouth project has been pioneered by Andrew Wright, a senior lecturer and head of musical theatre performance at Chichester.

Mr Wright said he initially approached the theatre in January 2017 and proposed a major fundraising event.