Annual concert takes place at the weekend

A HOUSING developer is sponsoring the first annual Christmas concert at the village hall in Stanton under Bardon.

Westleigh Homes is donating a total of £200 towards the event, having recently unveiled the first few three and four-bedroom homes for sale at its nearby Stanton Meadows development.

The hall will play host to Hathern Band, a local Championship Section Brass Band, which will perform a host of popular Christmas carols and songs, while songbooks, mince pies and mulled wine will be handed to guests upon arrival.

Jackie West, trustee for Stanton under Bardon Village Hall Trust, said: “Westleigh’s donation will cover the cost of the band, which is the event’s main expense, so it’s a great comfort for us to have this covered off.”

She said: “We wanted to hold a family event that would appeal to everyone, and felt that this time of the year was the perfect time to do so.

“We were aware that Westleigh were working in the area, so we felt that they were a fantastic choice to help us finance the concert.

“There are various other costs surrounding the maintenance of the hall and the development of its facilities, so we’re hoping that plenty of people come along on the night to show their support for the venue and join in the festivities.”

The hall opened around three years ago and acts as a social hub for the village’s growing community.

It regularly holds a wide variety of events, such as coffee mornings, film nights, birthday parties, yoga, Pilates and line dancing sessions, as well as mother and toddler groups.

Lisa Morris, new homes manager for Westleigh, said: “We are thrilled to be sponsoring the Christmas Concert at Stanton Village Hall.

“Events like this play an important role in uniting the local community and we hope that people turn out in large numbers to get themselves into the spirit of the season.”

Tickets for the Christmas concert are available to purchase in advance of the event from Stanton Stores for £4.50, or on the door for £5.

The doors will open at 7pm and the concert will begin at 7.30pm.