Countdown to Christmas

Thursday 7 December

There are numerous events at the Centre at St Paul's to celebrate Christmas this year. First off on Thursday 7 December, was the U3A Choir with their Christmas Recital.  

The programme included Mozart's "Dona Nobis Pacem", "The Linden Tree Carol" and "The Lark in the Clear Air" as well as traditional carol favourites such as "O Little Town of Bethlehem", "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear", "Hark the Herald Angels SIng" and a rousing finale of "O Come All Ye Faithful". The conductor was Bill Godfrey and the accompanist Dorothy Sanders.

 Later that morning, the seated exercise group had its regular class at 11 with instructor Becky Adams and then left for a special Christmas lunch at Shepreth Motel organised by Becky and Tim Palmer.

  In the evening, Bodywork Dance Studios held their third annual Christmas Carol Concert in the church. This year the event was entitled "An Evening of Christmas Song" and was held in conjunction with Cambridge Regional College and Arbury Primary School, both of which were represented by choirs.

 The group on the left consists of students of Cambridge Regional College. Bodywork Company students are pictured right.

 Students of Cambridge Regional COllege

Friday 8 December

 Christmas trees for the Centre and church were delivered and decorated on Friday morning. Pupils from Sancton Wood School (pictured right) helped serve lunch and treated lunch clubbers to a Christmas song or two into the bargain.  

Tuesday 12 December

Unfortunately we don't have any photographs, but today the Christmas celebrations consisted of a play entitled "It's a Party" performed by the children of St Colette's School. After a word of welcome by Head Techer  Ann Wilson  those present sang "Silent Night" and "Away in A Manger" and then watched a rather special nativity play, inlcuding not only Mary, Joseph, a donkey, kings, angels and shepherds but also a census man and someone called Foghorn Fred. Musical instruments were played and songs performed by the children of Year 2.

Wednesday 13 December

The second annual Hanover and Princess Courts Community Christmas event kicked off at 6 p.m. with a spirited countdown by local residents ending with Trumpington Councillor Sheila Stuart switching on the lights on the 30 foot Christmas tree between the flats. The event was made possible by a grant from the South Area Committee of Cambridge City Council and organised by Caroline Fernandez, vice chair of Hanover and Princess Courts Residents Association with the help of Caroline Biggs of the City Council's Community Development team. Local residents, councillors, cit council officers, children, friends and representatives of St Paul's School, St Paul's church and the Centre at St Paul's admired the tree, sang carols - led by a children's choir - tucked into  mince pies and mulled wine and welcomed Father Christmas all the way from Lapland.

"The man with all the toys"as he's described in the immortal "Little Saint Nick" as featured on the very wonderful Beach Boys Christmas album managed to retain his cool, despite the nylon suit and some challenging comments by a swarm of local children.

Festive fare provided in the marquee consisted of mulled wine, sausage rolls and mince pies. Cindy Fiddy, Head of St Paul's School  (centre in the left hand photograph,) gave an animated reading of Clement Moore's  classic  poem "The Night Before Christmas".  Michael Beckett, vicar of St Paul's, said a few words about the meaning of Christmas. Right: Caroline Fernandez, Debbie Beckett, Michael Beckett  and Sheila Stuart.

 Local resident Terry, pictured leftwith Dingle is a regular at the Centre's Thursday lunches. Right: City Council Housing Officer Katie Wood, Caroline Fernandez, Sheila Stuart and Lewis Wilbur.

Left: Caroline Fernandez and Caroline Biggs. who organised the "Reminiscence" sessions held at the Centre in October and December described elswehwere on this website.

Friday 15 December

St Paul's School carol service was held in St Paul's church at at 9 30 a.m.

Friday Lunch Club Christmas lunch was at the usual time of 12 30 p.m. Spocial guests included Catherine Rees who used to work at the Centre and Foodbank's Arthur who supplies us with groceries every Thursday and Friday.

Jane Gresham cooked the food, assisted by Pam Brook. Gabby Farrow not only provided tablecloths and  candles but also baked a special Christmas cake for everyone to share and enjoy.

Sancton Wood School's  Carol Service was held in the church at at 1 p.m.

Sunday 17 December

Grand raffle draw in the Lower Hall at 12 noon. Carols by candlelight at 6 p.m.in St Paul's church

Thursday 21 December

Below: Thursday Seated Exercise Class in festive mood with Becky Adams and Tim Palmer

Thursday Group Christmas lunch cooked by Diane Hicks was at 12 30 p.m. And then ... the amazing, phatntasmagorical,  Cambridge International Examinations Grand Christmas Panto took over the church at 6 p.m. the same evening. It was a wonder to behold. And verily the merriment was as great as was the consumption of a wide selection of beverages , some mulled others refrigerated, supplied by Messrs Threshers.

 The panto was entiled "Belles, Baubles and Ghosts of Pantos Past" and centred around St Trinians School, a band of robbers, a sheik and his daughter and a very realistic camel. Several women's parts were played by men in keeping with the great British panto tradition. Audience participation was encouraged. The auditorium resounded to cries of "Oh not there isn't",  "Oh yes there is". And there was and there wasn't. The pantomime did exactly what it says on the tin. The camel was inspired and the horse race was a triumph of ingenuity.

Friday 22 December

Lunch Club at 12 30 p.m.

Rather than Santa's Little Helper it was more a case of Little Santa's Helper. We had a new greeter for Lunch Club in the diminutive form of our very own mini Father Christmas.