Monday marks the 25th anniversary of the Macmillan Christmas Carol Concert by Candlelight at Ripon Cathedral.

The concert has raised almost half a million pounds for Macmillan Cancer Support over the years and has become a popular annual event which, for many, marks the start of their Christmas festivities.

The money raised has supported many people living with cancer in Yorkshire, from funding professional posts like the Macmillan children’s cancer nurse at St James’s University Hospital in Leeds, to helping build the state-of-the-art Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Cancer Centre in Northallerton.

Jenny Fall, Macmillan Ripon Carol Concert Committee chair, said: “The concert and its supporters have changed the face of Macmillan in the Yorkshire community and made a huge difference to the lives of local people affected by cancer.”

In previous years the candlelit concert has had guest speaks including TV gardener Alan Titchmarsh, author and raconteur Gervaise Phinn and Amanda Owen, the Yorkshire Shepherdess.

In 2004, the then Prince of Wales, now King, made a surprise visit to the event as the patron of Macmillan.

This year’s special anniversary concert on Monday will see the boys of Aysgarth School Senior Choir, together with the girls of Queen Mary's School Chapel Choir perform alongside guest speaker, former UK Chief of Defence Staff, Lord Houghton, and soprano Julia Morgan.

Julia, previously a pupil at Queen Mary's, is a member of Birmingham St Chad's Cathedral choir, and last year sang a solo in the midnight mass service at the Royal Albert Hall broadcast on BBC1.

Returning as master of ceremonies on behalf of Macmillan will be Suzy Lishman, who said: “I am delighted to have been invited back to host this year’s carol concert, and I look forward to an inspirational start to the festive season, which I hope will raise a record amount for Macmillan."

The concert starts at 7.30pm. For ticket information, see www.macmillanriponcarolconcert.co.uk/tickets.