Sing Christmas 2009

People join in with the carol singing at the BBC Big Screen in Plymouth in 2008

On Tuesday 22 December 2009, people from across the South West will be joining in an interactive, inter-denominational celebration of Christmas.

They will be tuning in to BBC Radio Devon - or logging on to the BBC Devon website - to take part in a huge, communal event.

Pippa Quelch with a children's choir during the 2008 festivities

The festivities will bring together groups of people - gathered in pubs, clubs, residential homes, cafés and places of work - in one big carol service.

Sing Christmas was first staged in the South West in 2008, when lots of people enjoyed the evening's entertainment.

They were taking part in Devon, Cornwall, Jersey, Guernsey, the USA, Canada, Belfast and even New Zealand where South West expat, Janet Pugh, joined in after cooking breakfasts for her guests at her B&B in The Bay Of Islands!

Reaction to the event was so good, we've decided to do it all over again.

Raison d'être

Here's how it works.

The main carol service will be held at Plymouth Methodist Central Hall from 8pm and relayed to BBC Local Radio stations across the South West.

Many thanks - it was a good mix of carols, interviews and activities and I hope you will repeat it next year! It definitely attracted some who would not have gone to a church-based carol service. James Hutchings - after Sing Christmas 2008

It will also be available here on the website and on the BBC Big Screen in Plymouth city centre.

The service consists of many of your favourite carols linked by lots of interaction.

You may be asked to write a wish for the coming year and hang it on your Christmas tree.

You may be invited to pull a Christmas cracker with the person next to you, or enjoy a mince pie.

The whole raison d'être is to make everyone feel a part of a much bigger celebration and to have a good sing-song.

It's being organised by Churches Together In Devon and you can now download a 'kit of parts' (the things you will need to be able to interact), an order of service, a powerpoint, some invites etc - all from the links on the right of this page.

Be part of it

Duncan Warren will be your radio host for the evening. He starts broadcasting at 7pm before joining the carol singers at 8pm.

Your Sing Christmas hosts; Victoria, Duncan and Pippa

Pippa Quelch and Victoria Graham will then lead the singing from 8pm - 9pm before handing back to Duncan for the final hour when we'll be talking to some of the people taking part.

Now we need you to tell us if you would like be a part of Sing Christmas 2009.

You may be the organiser of a big group event - last year several pub landlords organised groups of singers - or an individual who simply wants to share the Christmas cheer with others from around the region.

You can download a poster for your venue by clicking HERE .

Join The Fun

Please send an email to [e-mail] with your name, address and telephone number and we'll register you and make sure you are advised when we have any further updates.