A festive concert held at St Mary’s Church in Brighstone – part of the village’s annual Christmas tree festival – has raised over £500 for the Dementia UK Admiral Nurse Appeal on the Isle of Wight.
Lady Sally Grylls and former High Sheriff Ron Holland were amongst representatives from the appeal at the concert last Thursday (12th December). Chair Catherine Flury was also present alongside local Admiral Nurse Lindsay White.
In total, £504.76 was raised on the night.
Opening their Christmas season, the superb concert was given by the West Wight Christmas Choir, directed by Chrissie Acland and accompanied by Bryan Rhodes-Smith, with several solos by different members of the choir. The choir sang alongside the West Wind Band, directed by Ruth Allen, which who gave beautiful renditions of Christmas songs on their wind instruments.
Formed in 2014 the West Wight Christmas Choir’s 55 or so members meet for weekly choir practices in Christ Church, Totland Bay, starting in early September each year.
Choir Director Chrissie Acland says:
“Those members of the choir who are receiving singing lessons and wish to sing solos are encouraged to do so, and several performed in last Thursday’s concert”.
Lady Grylls says:
“I was so pleased that Chris Goodman selected the Admiral Nurses as their charity for the concert his year. And we are very grateful to Hovertravel for sponsoring the Christmas Tree to mark the occasion on behalf of Admiral Nurses Dementia UK”.
Although 5 of the 8 venues have closed down now, well over 130 trees can still be seen at St Mary’s Church and the Isle of Wight Pearl which will remain open between 10:00 and 17:00 until 2nd January. The Methodist Church also has some trees and this can be opened by arrangement.
Chris Goodman, organiser of the Christmas tree festival, has said:
“The festival has been a big success again and that is due to the hard work from all the volunteers who played their part well and thanks to our many friends in the commercial sector who support this special festival, year in, year out”.
The West Wight Christmas Choir and the West Wind Band will be performing in Christ Church, Totland Bay, in aid of the Wessex Cancer Trust, on Wednesday 18th December, at 19:30. Admission will be free, with a retiring collection.
The finale concert of the Christmas Tree Festival will be given by the Harmonix Acapella Choir and The Brighstone Barnacles in St Mary’s Church, Brighstone, on Friday 20th December, at 19:30, and will be in aid of the Church Roof Appeal. Free Admission, interval refreshments and retiring collections.
