Christmas 2007

Report from Chris & Jonathan Dutton

City Synergy members celebrated Christmas in fine style this year kicking off in early December with the Christmas Meal.  Very keen on our food, over 30 members and friends came along for the lunch at Lura, an Italian Restaurant in Patcham where we were made very welcome and had a thoroughly enjoyable time.

Although not strictly a City Synergy event, for many of us the Singing for Pleasure concert is a great part of the build up to Christmas.  About a dozen of us attended the concert at the Unitarian Church on the evening of 13th December.  One of our members, Jim, sings with the group who entertained us with a range of songs.  Possibly the closest they got to Christmas were the mince pies served during an interval however such was the warmth of feeling at the concert that it seemed by no means out of place for them to finish with a rousing chorus of "June is Busting Out All Over" on a December evening.

The singing theme continued with our pub crawl/carol singing on 22nd December.  17 of our members and friends started off in the Setting Sun Pub (Windmill Street) where the subdued mood lighting gave an advantage to those using the braille carol sheets.  Moving on, we had a great welcome at the Sir Charles Napier, Southover Street, where bar staff and some regulars joined in.  As the beers were sunk, we moved on to more challenging efforts such as "While Shepherd Watched" to the tune of "Ilkley Moor Baht' At".  "Once in Royal David's City" to the tune of "Everybody was kung-fu fighting" will have to wait for another year.

A great family afternoon was spent at the Panto at the Theatre Royal on 31st December.  Despite all the planning and scripting, it's always the children who steal the show.  One boy taken on stage to help lead the audience singing confidently announced that he came from Haywards Teeth, and used the opportunity with the microphone to complain about the size of his room at home.

Finally, the Late Late Christmas Party was held in the back room of The Nelson Pub, Trafalgar Street on 12th January.  About 25 members displayed their knowledge in the Big Prize Quiz and tried their luck in the Bran Tub.  Games, including sumo wrestling and cowboys and indians, went like clockwork (not surprising because they were clockwork). We all took food and assembled a veritable feast.  Many thanks to The Nelson bar staff for making us so welcome.

As ever thanks are due to all the friends and volunteers who have helped to make such a great Christmas Season possible

Happy New Year to one and all
Chris and Jonathan