The Bracken Trust Singers, presented with guest singers “A Celebration of Christmas 2021” at the Holy Trinity Church on the evening of Friday December 17, writes Clive Barrett.

There was seasonal songs and carols for those present to join in and the entrance fee included a mulled wine and mince pie, after the performance.

The proceeds of the evening were in aid of the Bracken Trust and Holy Trinity Church. The choir singing a mixture of carols and Christmas songs.

Included in the programme were solos by Mike Clarke, Phil Evans and the Choir leader Christine Clarke. There were also four carols which members of the audience were able to join in with.

At the conclusion of the evening, the manager of the Bracken Trust, Ann Williams thanked the singers and individual performers, whilst the Chairman of the Trust Reg Cawthorne made gift presentations to leader Christine Clarke and accompanist Bev Nethercoat.

The Singers all looked very smartly dressed in their black and red, and after the concert leader Christine Clarke received a number of favourable comments about the choirs’ performance.

With excellent performances such as this seasonal concert the reputation of the Bracken Singers can only be enhanced.

The Singers Christmas period of engagements had started the day before on the afternoon of Thursday December 16 when they performed outside the Trust’s Charity Shop in Middleton Street on a cold December afternoon.

During the main part of the covid pandemic the Singers were forced to practice via zoom, but they stuck to the task. In recent months they have been able within the restrictions and regulations to have face to face practice sessions at Llanyre Village Hall on Tuesday mornings.

The Singers were also invited to sing to the residents and customers at the Hotel Metropole, and on Christmas Eve when obviously seasonal songs were the order of the day, their leader Christine Clarke described their performance and the evening as “very successful”.

They returned to the “Met” for their second showing on the Thursday evening after Christmas, to again entertain residents and visitors. The choir’s leader Christine Clarke, who also sang a solo introduced the programme, and explained the purposes of the Bracken Trust, in front of a smaller than expected audience due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

Their songs ranged from It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year to In the Mood, and Merry Christmas Everyone to Moonlight Serenade.

There was a musical introduction by the choir’s accompanist Bev Nethercoat, and solos by Mike Clarke and Elwyn Evans, the latter’s debut in front of a public audience.

Choir member Barry Hicks MBE also led the singing of the Welsh Calon Lan. There were also singalongs by the audience in four songs in the evening’s programme.

The Singers ended their most enjoyable concert with Hasta manana (When will I see you again”).