For nearly 30 years Rotary has been hosting A Concert for Christmas at the Methodist Church in Harpenden in aid of their President’s charity. This year Rotary in Harpenden was supporting Redbourn Community Food Club.

The Harpenden and District Junior Schools’ Choir was made up of 150 children from 14 local primary and junior schools. Each school had been rehearsing separately and only came together on the morning of the concert that evening. This quite astonishing accomplishment was overseen by Helen Fitzakerly, the schools’ coordinator, who has been involved in the concert for nearly 20 years.

As always, the concert combines carols with the choir and audience, songs by the choir alone and readings by the children themselves, delivered in beautiful harmony with confidence and clarity.

In the audience were teachers from all of the schools together with 150 invited parents and guardians.

The Rev Mark Hammond of the Methodist Church welcomed the audience, introduced the evening and gave the final blessing. Rotary in Harpenden President, Hugh Lawrence, introduced Deni Enlls from Redbourn Community Food Club to make the appeal after which a collection was taken.

President Hugh gave the vote of thanks to the minister for the use of the church, to the teachers for all the hard work with the children and finally a massive thank you to the audience for a magnificent donation from the collection.