Carols

One of the highlights for me every Christmas in Stroud is hearing the carol singers brought together by a chap called Howard Beard.

Mr Beard is, I believe, a former teacher who has interests in history, archaeology and, of course, choral singing.

He is the conductor in the shot and he clearly knows what he is doing. The sound produced by his singers is sublime.

I understand that his recruits are from different choirs and are brought together specially for the occasion, so it is even more to their credit that they can produce such glorious music.

We stayed around for a few carols and they were generally treated well by the locals, save for one numbskull who tried to drown them out with his own yobbish chanting as he walked by. He wasn't a troublemaking teen - he was possibly around 30 and was with his partner and a child.

The choir just carried on and their collection tins for the town's St Rose's special school were regularly topped up.

I used to be in a choir and Mr Beard once asked me to join them for their Christmas singing. I never took him up on the request - but I might next year!

Anyway, I must get this sent off to blipland because we'll be walking through Stroud's icy wastes to midnight mass shortly.

That's if it's on, of course. One of the town's main Anglican churches - the one where I used to sing in the choir - has cancelled all its services today and on Christmas Day because of the weather.

I can't remember that ever happening before.