Carollers are back in good voice
TRADITION RETURNS AFTER PANDEMIC RULES LAST YEAR KEPT CHORISTERS SILENT
CAROL singers have welcomed back the tradition after a hymn-less 2020, saying its return “feels like coming home”.
The recent threat of the Omicron Covid variant has had a sudden impact as choirs approach their last week of singing, with many of the most recent carol services moving outdoors.
But after being unable to meet at all last year due to coronavirus restrictions, carollers said being able to return to their festive tradition has made Christmas “a richer experience”.
In Staffordshire, Lichfield Cathedral is inviting people to participate in some tree-decoration crafting, cookie decorating and relaxed carol singing tomorrow. All ages welcome, £2 per child payable on the day.
Due to the recent change in Covid measures, the event will need to be pre-booked. People should email suzie.santomassimo@lichfield-cathedral.org to reserve their space and avoid disappointment.
To mark the return of carol singing to our area, we dug out archive pictures of carollers in Swadlincote.
Returning to today, elsewhere in the country Kate Caroe is director of the Steel City Choristers in Sheffield, who were unable to sing last year due to strict lockdown measures.
But the group have performed in locations including pubs and churches in 2021, even visiting Sheffield Children’s Hospital for a fundraising service.
“It feels very natural and familiar and beautiful… it feels like coming home,” Kate told the PA news agency.
“(Last year) felt hollow, whereas it feels like a richer experience of Christmas, having the music (be) part of it. It’s part of the tradition of how you celebrate Christmas, it brings people together and it creates community… I think it’s really important for good emotional health and giving you a sense of perspective on life.”
The 46-year-old also sings carols with her husband, daughter and four sons and the family often post videos of their performances on Facebook, where they have dubbed themselves the “Caroe-navirus Singers”.
Ms Caroe said she is uncertain how services will be affected in the final days before Christmas, adding: “It depends what arrangements have been made and how passionate people are about coming together.”
Joanne Jubb works at The Royal Hotel in Dungworth, where people are invited to sing carols every Sunday between Armistice Day and Boxing Day, and described the experience as “joyous”. The 56-year-old’s mother-inlaw and father-in-law own the pub and have been keeping up the tradition for 23 years.
Joanne, 56, said: “Everybody’s missed it… we have people come from all over the world to come and sing with us.
“I think the lockdown proved (people need it)… it’s just so joyous, it gets you in that spirit of Christmas.”
Faye Bailey, 39, director of the Mellor Singing Group in Lancashire, said her choir were glad to have been able to perform this year for East Lancashire Hospice. She said: “It is undoubtedly my most favourite time of year. The songs are just timeless.”