Christmas 2025

Christmas 2025 has, for the choir, been a time of sadness and joy. Our events in December included a very enjoyable social Christmas meal at the Hostess restaurant in Mansfield Woodhouse, a sell-out concert in Kirkby in Ashfield, a funeral, a memorial service and our packed and brilliant annual event with Newstead Brass at Forest Town Arena; the latter being the 26^th occasion we have performed for this now traditional and much anticipated local concert.

The Hostess was enjoyed by 96 choristers, families and guests and the manager Andrew and his wife Nia, together with their excellent and attentive staff, made us most welcome. The choir sang and our guests joined us in carols, and it was a delight to see everyone engaged with the bobbing up and down in the 12 Days of Christmas. The venue has already been booked for Christmas 2026.

Our concert at the Hill Methodist Church in Kirkby in Ashfield was the first time we have performed there for a Christmas concert. Once again, we were made very welcome and the choir performed well in a mixture of our current repertoire and traditional carols and joyful Christmas songs. It is through these concerts in a wider Mansfield catchment area that we are picking up new audience members and new choristers. Certainly, the interest was high and the pleasure on the faces of our audience evident. I suspect this will become a regular feature of our annual programme.

Two more poignant events followed. Mrs Carol Hughes, a lady originally from Snowdonia was not known to the choir but her granddaughter Kelly is a keen follower and supporter. Family members came from all over Wales, and some were following live, on-line funeral service in Manitoba Canada. Our skills in singing in Welsh were very helpful in performing three Welsh classic hymns, Calon Lan, Deus Salutis and Gwahoddiad and were much appreciated by the attendees. Interestingly the service continued in The Dog and Duck in Kings Clipstone making for a very convivial end to a sad day.

Equally sad, poignant and of great value was the memorial service at Mansfield Crematorium. Led by Celebrant Drew Baxter and supported by our choir and an ensemble from Blidworth Welfare Band. The Thoresby chapel was over full of more than 200 family members wishing to remember those who had died during the past year. We are very proud to have been asked to support our local folk in their time of grief and wholeheartedly thank Nada Colclough, the Crematorium Manager and her staff for a very well organised event.

The finale to our year and the event that sets us all up for our family Christmas celebrations was, once again, at Forest Town Arena. Newstead Brass led by Martin Heartfield and well known local “music man” and former teacher at The Brunts Academy played some fantastic music which blended beautifully with our Christmas programme. The sound of band, choir and audience at full stretch singing O Come All Ye Faithfull, Hark the Herald and then, to everyone’s delight, Merry Christmas Everybody (the Slade 1973 Christmas number one and perennial hit) made for a wonderful Christmas celebration. Paul Bennett our hugely entertaining compere and 2^nd tenor set the perfect tone for the evening. We are grateful for his light-hearted, funny introductions and patter.  Great jokes Paul! Margaret Ball our former accompanist played for this concert as Maureen Lockwood is in Australia visiting her son and family. It was like you had never left us Margaret, thank you for joining us again.

Of note is the steady and dedicated work of our choir Supporters’ Group who through their efforts have facilitated a greater family feeling within our choir as family members get involved and join in our events. In December alone nearly £700 was raised in raffles in support of the choir. Well done ladies and long may it continue.

We have had a very busy 2025 and thanks are due to all the committee members and music team for making our choir lives so enjoyable. All our mates in the choir mean so much to every member. It is true – choirs build camaraderie and community and what a great privilege it is to belong to such a group. Merry Christmas everyone and roll on 2026.

Sandra Hopkinson, wife of 1^st Tenor Martin, captured this pursed lipped photo as we were all “oohing” in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Thanks Sandra.