More than 150 people enjoyed the sights and sounds of Christmas at Keys Park, the home of Hednesford Town Football Club, on Monday (7th December) as the club held its now annual Carol Concert.
Bringing together numerous groups from the local community, the evening focussed not only on Christmas Carols but also offered remembrance of what life was like for footballers who had gone away to war a century ago along with tales of Christmas as a professional footballer.
Led by the club’s Chaplain, Revd. Paul Kelly, the evening saw Hednesford-based St Peter’s School choir performing two medleys, first team players Dan Crane and Tom Thorley undertaking a reading of the Christmas Day truce of 1914, as well as readings from club staff Paula Smith, Gavin Blackwell and manager Bernard McNally before Crane’s daughter Livi performed a solo piece, while the Hednesford Salvation Army also provided musical accompaniment to the carols which were sung both inside the Chase Suite at the club and out on the Main Stand of the ground.
Following a successful first event in 2014, one of the organisers Paula Smith, said: “The evening has once again proved to be a popular one with a number of different organisations from Hednesford and the wider area coming along to support us.
“We are already looking forward to welcoming everyone back to Keys Park next year for what will hopefully become a regular event now on the calendar at the football club.”
Also in attendance was a member of the Staffordshire Regiment Museum in order to provide an insight into life during WW1 at Christmas, while Cannock Radio recorded proceedings and are hoping to play it out on Christmas Day as part of a special programme which is being produced.
Money raised from the raffle held on the night will be split between the Sports Chaplaincy and Hednesford Salvation Army.