If you weren't on the Cathedral Green in Hereford on Wednesday night, the 1st of December, you missed a real festive treat.
It was the start of the St Michael’s Hospice annual Light up a Life campaign which involved the lighting of the Christmas Tree next to the cathedral in Hereford and a short service led by the Hospices chaplain Mike Nevill.
I was there to play the carols for the masses and if you passed by anytime between 6 and 6.30, you would've heard a lovely sound echoing around the green.
Amongst the carols I played were Oh Little Town of Bethlehem, In The Bleak Midwinter (well, we were outside), Hark The Herald Angels Sing and, of course, O Come All Ye Faithful.
Carol service
Claudia Berry and Nicola Goodwin were on hand to collect money for the Money Marathon appeal.
There was also a brisk trade in the special calendars produced by BBC Hereford and Worcester, and featuring the presenters favourite recipes.
BBC Hereford and Worcester's Money Marathon 2004 is in aid of four hospices in the two counties.
The hospices we’re raising money for are:
Carol service
- St Richards in Worcester.
- Kemp Hospice in Kidderminster.
Primrose in Bromsgrove. - St Michael's at Bartestree near Hereford.
There will be no one cash fund as such - people are asked to send their money direct to the hospice they choose, but with a form to us on how much they raise so we can reach a grand total.
Each hospice has different requirements and goals and because they are at different stages of development each is operating in a slightly different way.
We hope to raise £5000 for each of them - that's £20, 000 in total.
For instance at the new St Richards unit, that would provide media units (combined TV, radio and DVD players) for the bedded unit, or at St Michael's that could well cover the cost of new furniture they need for their family room.
