Music to uplift the soul and inspire…. that was the opinion of audience members as they left the Joy to the World event on Sunday afternoon.

Now in its 13th year, the annual musical showcase saw more than 400 people flock to Trinity Methodist Church, Clitheroe to enjoy the festive celebration. The mayors of Ribble Valley and Clitheroe were present, and the audience was welcomed by Alan Meyer, Chair of Clitheroe Christians in Partnership.

A collaboration between Trinity and Clitheroe Christians in Partnership, and set to music

by Ribble Valley Choir and Orchestra, the concert celebrated Christmas and recalled important anniversaries and events through music, poems, dance and drama.

A highlight of this year’s performance was a rendition of A Million Dreams from The

Greatest Showman by children’s singing and drama group, Little Voices.

There were wonderful poetry interludes, which featured Growing Tomorrow by Joseph

Coelho, read by Richard Thornton, The Visitation by Elizabeth Jennings, read by Maureen

Fenton, an Extract from a T S Eliot poem read beautifully by Peter Houldsworth and Remembering 2024 written and read by Norman Kelly. Sue Paramore performed her own hilarious monologue as the wife of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.

Ribble Valley Choir and orchestra performed a variety of modern and traditional music, including three carols in which the audience participated. Celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of composer Peter Cornelius, Kevin Downes was the soloist in The Three Kings. Imogen Griffin was the soloist in a movement from Holy Boy by David Palmer and a very impressive performance of One Moment in Time, celebrating the 2024 Olympic Games was led magnificently by soloist Yvonne Hartlebury. Two of the choir items were accompanied by Dorothy Birtwell on the piano and James Robinson on the organ.

A reflection from Rev Ian Humphreys, Superintendent of the Clitheroe Methodist Circuit, on ‘Why do we celebrate Christmas?’ rounded off the programme.

Each item in the programme was introduced by comperes Madeline Adey and Andrew Piercy.

Steuart Kellington, who conducts Ribble Valley Choir and Orchestra said: “Conducting the

choir at this event is one of the highlights of my year. I particularly enjoy the fact that for

many people in the town Joy to the World signifies the start of Christmas.”

Carols were sung enthusiastically by all who attended, and this was followed by the

opportunity to relax with a hot drink and mince pie afterwards.

A retiring collection for Christian Aid raised almost £1,200.