By Andrew Dixon
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Carol Concert committee needs leader
The search is on to find someone to chair the Highland Hospitals Carol Concert Committee (HHCCC), Inverness, a long-established and experienced working group dedicated to maintaining the future of a well-loved Christmas Carol Concert, fundraising each year for children and young people impacted by a cancer diagnosis wherever they live.
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Especially welcome would be a person with an ability to seek sponsorship for the event.
The committee meets around seven times each year to put arrangements in place, including ticket sales, sponsorship, a major raffle, and a rich programme of choral music led by Pamela Cummings and Alyn Ross, sung by NHS staff and supported by other singers and musicians including children and young people.
This well-supported Carol Concert is held at the Drumossie Hotel on the first Sunday in December and aims to raise over £10,000 each year in support of the committee’s preferred charity Young Lives vs Cancer.
Following the sell-out success of last year’s 350-seat concert at the Drummossie Hotel, the Highland Hospitals Carol Concert Committee is now well under way with plans for another high-quality, joyous event complete with the usual offerings to sing along with the 60 strong choir on Sunday, December 7 at 3pm.
Adjusting for two years of absence and survival through Covid, December 2025 will also see the 50th anniversary of the once popularly known Nurses’ Choir drawn from north Highland hospitals, originally inspired by a group of nurses singing carols in aid of the Malcolm Sargent Cancer Fund for Children in 1975.
Since those early years, this pre-Christmas favourite has been organised by a small team of volunteers known as the HHCCC who have raised funds over the years to well in excess of £250,000 for the charity CLIC Sargent, now known as Young Lives vs Cancer. This charity supports the families of children and young people impacted by a cancer diagnosis, including many in the Highlands and Islands, through help with travel costs and by providing ‘homes from home’ close to specialist treatment centres.
Choir co-ordinators Heather MacDonald and Auriol Downie said: “Our little planning team, is in very good spirits and well on now with what needs to be done to produce the next event. We’ll be well supported on the day by our regular front-of-house volunteers who will entice concert-goers this year with a substantial raffle. And we’re also looking forward to a Central Primary School choir, led by their teacher Amy Cameron, returning once again to charm us all.â€
Whilst we are happy that all is on track for December, a major challenge presented by the recent loss of our chairperson of the past five years means that we are now having some real concerns over the sustainability of this much-loved and worthwhile event. Moreover, we have a dual search on since, as well as a person to orchestrate our work behind the scenes, we need to find someone also skilled in sourcing sponsorship to help cover a number of very significant costs year on year.
So we are really holding the thought that there is someone out there, or possibly even two people with complementary skills to offer, who would like to get in touch and offer us their support.
Valery Dean, interim committee chair, Highland Hospitals Carol Concert Committee
Armed Forces Day parade returns
It was great to see the return of the AFD [Armed Forces Day] Parade to the city last Saturday. The parade was led by the RBLS Inverness Branch Pipes & Drums. The route was from Huntly Street to the Inverness Cathedral, changed from an original route which was to have been from the Eastgate Shopping Centre along the High Street with a salute at the Town House and on to the cathedral.
• Inverness parade marks Armed Forces Day in the city
I am told the event was organised mainly by the RBLS Inverness Branch and 7scots based in Gordonville Road. Fortunately, I am told a benefactor was found to fund the event.
However, on speaking with some of the organisers, it was a miracle that the parade happened. Due to the heightened Military security throughout the UK as a result of what had happened at RAF Brize Norton the day before. The organisers were left with a situation; do they cancel or change the route of the parade.
The Provost had in between times been invited to take the salute, however on hearing the parade route had changed she declined. The Provost did attend the Drumhead Service with her deputy. This was a very thought-provoking service given by the RBLS Branch Padre Dr John Cuthbert
By the end of the service and the parade, when returning to Huntly Street the area was awash with tourists.
On the parade been dismissed, all who took part were entertained in the RBLS Branch Club to an excellent afternoon of food and entertainment.
Roll on 2026 where hopefully the city fathers will become involved in the organisation to make the event even bigger.
Name and address supplied.
School summer fun day
What a lovely, heart-warming story to read in Friday’s Courier [June 27, 2025] about Raigmore Primary School’s summer fun day.
Amidst so much violence and fighting between nations in the world today, it was truly uplifting to read of all the different nationalities of children in the school, whose families had contributed food to add to a memorable day of celebrations.
Maybe other schools will be inspired to do likewise!
Vivienne Farquharson, Inverness
Inverness going wild
In relation to your question about un-managed grass areas across the city.
• Is Inverness grass cutting falling behind in good summer weather? Highland Council issues pledge
Just take a run out along the A96 to Smithton, Culloden, Balloch and up to Westhill and Cradlehall. In fact right across this city all the grass areas, maintained by Highland council are an absolute disgrace.
Verges with grass standing almost 2ft tall opposite Harry Gow Bakery. The roundabouts are a disgrace too, apart from the one with the eagle statue near Inshes Retail Park, which is maintained by a local business.
It’s frustrating to see these areas fall into such decline, bins overflowing and rubbish all over the place.
It’s annoying to read that local government gives themselves a hefty pay rise when the services, schools and public areas are falling into disrepair.
Alison Cummings
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