A HIGHLIGHT of the Christmas season is always the Cherry Orchard School Carol Service held in the cathedral – and this year was no exception.
It is a bit of a military exercise getting that many children to and from the cathedral safely – and ensuring they are all in the right place with the right equipment, on time. However as always, it went off without a hitch.
The children sang beautifully and this year, we were treated to a performance by the staff choir, which was also very good. 
Those in the Nativity, the Tableau actors, were dressed in some splendid costumes and they really looked the part. As we have seen in other schools’ carol services, the children enjoy performing. Taking part was obviously great fun for them. 
The mix of traditional carols and popular songs worked very well, giving a different slant to previous years. Those in the group singing Oh, Happy Day were excellent, and the boy soloist was superb.
St Paul’s Hostel put on a film and poetry show in St Paul’s Church. Firstly I must comment on the building, this being the first occasion I have entered this church. It is the second largest religious space in our city, after the cathedral, and in its former days it had Rev Geoffrey Anketell Studdert Kennedy as its minister. 
A hero of the First World War, he won the Military Cross for bringing in wounded troops under fire and is better known, of course, as Woodbine Willy. As a military chaplain he not only gave out copies of the bible to those on the troop trains at Rouen, but packets of cigarettes from which his nickname came.
The church is a magnificent building and well worth a visit! The St Paul’s Hostel performance was impressive.The videos and brilliant photography were excellent, the poems were written and read with incredible feeling, and it was all so well presented.
One member of the group has a placement at the Heart of Worcestershire College to further his skills as a poet and special thanks has to go to Claire Badsey for both her writing and the reading of her work.
And then there was our visit to Worcestershire Royal Hospital on Christmas Day, which was a lovely experience. My thanks to all our hospital staff for their dedication and work – may I take this opportunity to wish them all a very happy and healthy New Year.