Christmas choir competition call

CALLING all choirs!

Registration is now open for intu Metrocentre’s Christmas choir competition 2017 and this year there’s an extra incentive to wow the crowds as the winning singers will walk away with a £250 intu gift card.

The contest is open to choirs from schools and singing groups across the North East, who will be free to raise funds for their chosen charity while I have been trying to find some information on the old Co-op Factory at Pelaw, Gateshead.

I have a pair of watercolour paintings (given to my parents in 1939 as a wedding present). The paintings were signed J or T Wilson. They were framed at the factory.

As I live in North Somerset it is possible the paintings were purchased at the Bristol Co-op Store (destroyed in WWII).

I would like to find out about the painter and if the store commissioned local artists to performing to visitors, friends and family in the shopping centre.

Choirs will be allocated a 50-minute time slot to perform in Exhibition Square, near Primark, from Monday, December 18 to Wednesday, December 20.

An esteemed judging panel will be scoring the performances in the following four categories – the festive appearance of the choir, singing talent, enthusiasm and the Xtra factor. do work then framed them and then they were sent out to various stores for sale.

The pictures show lakeside scenes with mountains in the background - could be anywhere in the UK or beyond.

I guess people employed at the factory are probably long gone by now, but maybe a relative or friend may have some recall of the factory and it workings. ROGER COLLINS Email: rogercollins59@mail.com

Judges will be observing and scoring the first two songs only – one of which must be Jingle Bells to allow for a fair comparison with other entrants.

Creativity is encouraged so fun, unique interpretations, or modern twists on old favourites, may well earn choirs a valuable extra point or two!

The six choirs with the highest scores will be announced on the evening of December 20 and invited back to perform in the final on December 21 from 10-11.30am.

Runners-up prizes of a £150 intu gift card and a £100 intu gift card will be given to second and third place choirs respectively.

Any choirs that would like to book a place should contact intu Metrocentre by emailing clare.cannon@intu.co.uk

GAVIN PRIOR, general manager of Intu Metrocentre