Lions hoping for a festive boost for their good work with carols

As well as the carol singing, tomorrow’s (December 17) event at Warwick Castle includes Nativity scenes by school-children and performances by Royal Spa Brass and St Mary’s church choirs.

Tickets cost £7, accompanied children under 12 get free admittance, and the night is compered by local radio presenter Annie Othen.

The gates open at 6.45 and the carols start at 7.30.

It is run with the help of Warwick Lions, Warwick Rotary Club and the Friends of St. Mary’s church choir.

For the Lions it is a big fundraising event to help Myton Hospice, Warwickshire and Northampton Air Ambulance and the club’s other good causes, including distributing Christmas treats.

Last Sunday more than 160 bags of treats were delivered to OAPs and the needy after door-to-door food collections in Warwick by the Lions.

Geoff Wiskin said: “People are always very grateful. There are still a lot of needy people out there.”

However, this year’s Lions collections outside Tesco and Sainsbury’s, in Warwick, which raised up to £500, are down on last year.

Peter Amiss said: “The collections are down by around 50 per cent and overall our takings are down, we assume because of the economic situation.”