Pubs make room for Jesus!

This Christmas pubs will take part in a huge festive sing-along – all to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Sing Christmas is happening in the Midlands where BBC Radio Leicester will broadcast live a community carol service at 7pm on Thursday 18 December, and venues across the region are invited to tune in, play out and sing along. The organisers, Leicestershire Churches Media Trust, are hoping to build on the success of last year when over 100 venues in the city, towns and villages took part. There were pubs, clubs, community centres, care homes and many other places.

Churches got involved too, helping with the organisation and promotion and being there on the night. ‘We had a great time joining in with the service. Lovely warm atmosphere. Great start to Christmas,’ said Revd Catriona Gorton at The Gate Inn, Hugglescote.

The pubs that joined in were full with people eager to sing the carols. ‘The pub was jam-packed. Exciting. Atmosphere brilliant,’ said Angela Saunders at The Wheatsheaf pub in Oakham.

The broadcast carol service includes popular carols, local celebrities reading the Christmas story from the Bible, prayers to join in with, and activities such as sharing food, pulling crackers and raising a glass to toast Jesus.

 Around half the venues last year were pubs and clubs. Others included a village Christmas tree where people gathered round and sang, outside a supermarket, and many were in the warmth of local care homes and retirement flats.

Song sheets, invitation cards, posters and everything the venues need is available for downloading from www.singchristmas.org.uk. All venues have to do is register their interest, download the materials, plan to receive the live broadcast via BBC Radio Leicester on 104.9 FM, DAB digital or on the web and invite people to come along and Sing Christmas.