Schoolchildren from across Wokingham were full of Christmas cheer as they sang of the season at the annual Primary Schools’ Carol Concert.
Held at Loddon Valley Leisure Centre on Sunday, December 14, more than 400 pupils from 28 local schools led singing of a range of seasonal favourites including Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town. They were accompanied by Berkshire Maestros, who performed popular Christmas tunes including Sleigh Ride and Christmas Festival.
More than 1,000 people packed the sports hall to cheer on and encourage the talented youngsters and joined in with carols including Once In Royal David’s City and Hark The Herald Angels Sing.
The event was attended by John Redwood, MP for Wokingham, and mayors from across the Borough, including the event’s host, Cllr UllaKarin Clark, the Borough Mayor of Wokingham.
She welcomed guests and thanked all for taking part, ensuring that all 28 schools were cheered and applauded for their role in the cheerful concert.
She also paid tribute to James Baker, who conducted the Berkshire Maestros.
Speaking ahead of the concert, she said: “The annual primary schools’ carol concert is a highlight of the civic calendar. It is one of the biggest events of the year.
“It is also a time to celebrate the musical talents of the Wokingham Borough’s young people and I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved, including the teachers who have spent a great deal of time preparing the children for this concert, James Baker and the young musicians of the Berkshire Maestros Orchestra. Finally a special thank you goes to the children and their parents who each year support this event so enthusiastically.”
Programmes for the evening featured a range of drawings from children and were sold in aid of Cllr Clark’s mayoral charity: is setting up a fund, in association with the Wokingham charity more arts, to support and mentor deserving teenagers in the borough who are showing an aptitude for the arts but do not have the resources or opportunities to reach their potential.
The schools involved were:
- Aldryngton Primary
- All Saints CE Primary
- Colleton Primary
- Crazies Hill CE Primary
- Earley St Peters CE Aided Primary
- Emmbrook Junior
- Farley Hill Primary
- Finchampstead Primary
- Gorse Ride Junior
- Grazeley Parochial CE Aided Primary
- Hawthorns Primary
- Hillside Primary
- Keep Hatch Primary
- Lambs Lane Primary
- Loddon Primary
- Nine Mile Ride Primary
- Polehampton CE Junior
- Radstock Primary
- Rivermead Primary
- Shinfield St Mary’s CE Junior
- St Dominic Savio Catholic Primary
- St Paul’s CE Junior
- St Sebastian’s Primary
- St Teresa’s Catholic Primary
- Westende Junior
- Whiteknights Primary
- Winnersh Primary
