A Celebration of Christmas

Talented students performed to a packed All Saints Church to celebrate the festive season.

Waltham Toll Bar Academy and Toll Bar Sixth Form College hosted the evening of carols and readings, with the audience including staff, parents, friends and governors.

It fell to Year 8’s Holly Lamberton to open the concert, singing the first verse of ‘Once in Royal David’s City’ by candlelight.

The congregation joined for the rest of the carol as the students entered the church in a procession.

The Rev. Rachel Fowler welcomed everyone and chair of Lincolnshire Gateway Academies Trust Philip Bond gave a reading of ‘The angel Gabriel salutes the Blessed Virgin Mary’.

Chair of Lincolnshire Gateway Academies Trust, Philip Bond

Violin duet Matilda Croft (Year 11) and Amelia Phelps (Year 10) played ‘Winter’, accompanied by Curriculum Leader for Music James Longden on piano.

Matilda Croft (Year 11) and Amelia Phelps (Year 10)

The congregation sang ‘It came upon a midnight clear’, followed by The Waltham Toll Bar Singers’ rendition of ‘Never a baby like Jesus’.

Year 8 student Sorayah Wilson read ‘Saint Luke tells of the birth of Jesus’, introducing ‘O little town of Bethlehem’, sung by everyone in the church.

Thomas Hardy’s The Oxen was read by Year 9‘s Lilian Blake before the Waltham Toll Bar Singers returned to give a lovely rendition of ‘Stille Nacht’.

Sorayah Wilson (Y8) and Lilian Blake (Y9)

The first verse was sung without music, the second embellished with harmony and the violin duet joined for the third, creating a wonderful atmosphere.

Principal of Waltham Toll Bar Academy, Nigel Whittle read ‘The Shepherds go to the Manger’, followed by the congregation singing ‘While Shepherds Watched their Flocks by Night’.

Right: Principal of Waltham Toll Bar Academy, Nigel Whittle

The Waltham Toll Bar Singers and violinists performed ‘Somewhere In My Memory’, also known as ‘Walking Home’ and composed by John Williams.

Sixth former Casey Foyle read ‘The Wise Men are Led by the Star to Jesus’, and a jazzy rendition of ‘Gloria’ by Waltham Toll Bar Singers followed.

Left: Sixth Form Singers. Right: Casey Foyle (Y13)

Everyone came together for ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’ before the Sixth Form Singers sang a lovely version of ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’.

The final carol was ‘O Come All ye faithful’, sung by the congregation.

The Rev. Fowler said: “Thank you to you all for filling the church with wonderful music and words tonight.”

Rev. Rachel Fowler

Mr Whittle said: “We have wonderfully-gifted students and this was a perfect way to showcase their talents.

“Thank you to them and the staff team who put in a huge amount of effort to support their preparation and rehearsals.

“It made my first Christmas concert as Waltham Toll Bar Academy Principal hugely memorable and I am incredibly proud of everybody involved. Our thanks too, to The Rev. Fowler for hosting the event at All Saints Church.”