Westminster singing honour for Leighton schoolchildren

A total of 174 children from four schools in Central Beds – including Leighton Middle – and one in Cambridgeshire will be singing at the Barnardo’s Carol Service on Thursday evening to an audience of more than 2,000 people.

They will be coming together as the Inspiring Music Honour Choir under the baton of Dr Douglas Coombes MBE.

It will be the fourth time that Dr Coombes has conducted pupils from Central Bedfordshire, with children from Heathwood Lower School, in Leighton Buzzard, singing under his direction at the recent Barnardo’s 150th anniversary service at St Paul’s Cathedral and previous Honour Choirs singing at the last two Christmas Carol Concerts.

For the second year in a row, a member of the Honour Choir will open proceedings with Imogen Phillips, of Leighton Middle, singing the first verse of Once in Royal David’s City unaccompanied.

The schools were invited to sing at the event by Susan Cox, Music Director of Inspiring Music and Lead Partner of Central Bedfordshire’s Music Education Hub.

Susan acknowledged how grateful she is to Douglas Coombes and Barnardo’s for inviting the Hub Honour Choir for a third year running.

She said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for the children to sing at such a prestigious event. I was privileged to attend the recent Barnardo’s anniversary service and to witness just how enjoyable it was for pupils to sing in such an iconic venue.

“I am sure that this will be the case this Thursday and I look forward to hearing them raise the roof of Westminster Cathedral.”

As well as the music there will be Christmas readings at the service, including one by celebrated actor and Ampthill resident Robert Daws.

He said: “It’s an honour to take part in such a joyous event and mark the start of Christmas by commemorating the incredible work of a charity that has helped so many of the UK’s most vulnerable children to turn their lives around.”

Tickets for the concert are still available, priced £5.90 to £21.83, from https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/carol-concert-in-aid-of-barnardos-tickets-28390626127