Ukulele band bring festive feeling to Living Advent Calendar launch

THE Henley Living Advent Calendar returns for the ninth year next month.

There will be 24 evenings of entertainment at a range of venues across the town from December 1 to Christmas Eve.

The acts include musicians, singers and dancers, whose identity is kept secret until the day, just like opening the door on an Advent calendar.

Each night, a collection will be taken for a different charity. This year’s beneficiaries include the Chiltern Centre, Headway Thames Valley, Henley Music School and the Henley Regatta for the Disabled.

New venues for this year include the H Café in Market Place, the Spice Merchant restaurant in Thames Side and the Thamesfield Care Village in Wargrave Road.

Organiser Richard Rodway said: “Amid all of the doom and gloom in the world, it is important that all parts of Henley come together to spread lots of festive cheer and enjoy some fabulous fun and entertaining performances.”

He was speaking at the launch of this year’s event at the Kenton Theatre, where students from The Henley College gave a sample of their production of A Chorus Line, which will be staged at Rotherfield hall from December 11 to 14, and ukulele band Pure Fluke performed Fairytale of New York.