A YOUNG chorister at St Thomas-in-the-Bourne Church, Farnham is planning to record a solo album this autumn – but needs support.

Choral scholar Cai Thomas, 12, began singing at the age of seven with the choir at St Thomas and, late last year, his talent was spotted by the music industry.

The young singer had the opportunity to record some demo tracks – and on the back of these recordings, he is now planning his first album.

Cai does though need to raise the initial funds himself – and has launched an online crowdfunding campaign to help realise his dream.

Also a member of the Edgeborough School choir, where he is a pupil, Cai has a strong Welsh heritage and has won numerous competitions at local festivals and at school – including the prestigious Bishop’s award for choral singing.

He is a very accomplished treble soloist and regularly performs both locally and during choir tours in European cathedrals including St Mark’s Venice, Brussels and Cologne.

Over the summer, his parents Janey and James, and St Thomas director of music, Rob Lewis, have been in discussion with several record labels who have been impressed with his wonderful treble voice and are keen to promote him.

‘Team Cai’ has chosen a label to work with to market and distribute Cai’s music and he’s due to record his first solo album early this autumn with Simon Kiln, award winning classical producer and editor.

His family has funded the recent recording of three singles for the album, one with the St Thomas’ choir, but they now need help in completing the project and album.

A fund-raising page has been set up at www.kickstarter.com/projects/cai-thomas/record-cai-thomas , offering donors lots of exciting rewards and allowing those involved exclusive access to Cai’s tracks before they are released to the public.

The campaign is running until this Sunday (September 8), with Cai having raised almost £12,000 of his £27,000 target to-date.

To hear one of Cai’s album tracks, see fb.me/cailewisthomas .