U3A Christmas carol concert cancelled due to Huddersfield Parish Church repairs
Nov 29 2010 by Anne-Marie Senior, Huddersfield Daily Examiner
U3A Christmas carol concert cancelled due to Huddersfield Parish Church repairs
RENOVATION work on a crumbling church ceiling has forced organisers to cancel a Christmas carol concert.
More than £200,000 worth of vital work is being carried out inside Huddersfield Parish Church to repair the old plaster and ceiling moulds.
Scaffolding and nets were put up by contractors five weeks ago after the church was given a £170,000 English Heritage grant.
The work is not expected to be completed until next February.
Now, plans to hold the annual U3A carol service on December 9 have been halted after organisers deemed the venue unsuitable for the 400-strong crowd it attracts.
Publicity officer Kathleen Robinson said: “It is disappointing, but due to the ongoing work in the church, we feel it would have been unfeasible for the concert to go ahead.
“We had to make that decision. We have tried to book other venues, but at such short notice, they are all booked up.
“We’re hoping it will be back next year though.”
Restoration work had to begin immediately after pieces of the ceiling started falling away.
Church warden Barbara Nightingale said:
“We had to put the netting up because pieces of the moulding were falling off the ceiling.
“We are disappointed because we enjoyed having the choir here.
“It is very sad, but we had no choice. It was a health and safety issue.
