Choir fill hall for Christmas concert

MORE than 130 people attended a Christmas charity concert at Peppard War Memorial Hall.  

The Harmony choir, conducted by musical director Anne Fairbrother, performed seasonal numbers including White Christmas, Silent Night, Deck the Halls and Winter Wonderland.

The also sang This Magic Moment by the Drifters, Falling Slowly, from the musical Once, Yellow Submarine by the Beatles and I Dreamed a Dream from Les Misérables.  

Four songs were performed by the choir’s “Motley Crew”, a men’s a capella group, including Bring Me Sunshine from Morecambe and Wise, Keep Hauling, a sea shanty, and The Wild Rover, a folk song.  

After the concert tea and coffee and cakes were served and a raffle for four hampers and other gifts was drawn.

The event raised £3,750 for Sonning Common Pre-School, Sonning Common Youth Club, the Springwater Church food bank and the Ways and Means Trust in Peppard. 

Barry Wood, who set up the community singing group 2021, said: “It was absolutely wonderful. There were 180 of us in the hall in total, so we were full to the gunwales and had to sit some audience members on stage.

“We had a really lovely response. It was the second year we have held the concert and I am trying to make it an annual event and something people can look forward to.”

The concert was sponsored by Wilkins Henley, Heights Tree Care, Courtiers Henley and Peppard Parish Council. 

Later, the choir performed at Harpsden Women’s Institute’s Christmas party.  

Pictured with cakes are Sue Hubbard, from Caversham, and Imelda Phebey, from Charvil.