8:37pm Friday 20th November 2009
By Hayley Court
A CHRISTMAS carols event to raise money for a Swindon cancer charity may be in jeopardy because of poor ticket sales.
Macmillan, which is based in Cheney Manor, may have to cancel this year’s Carols At Christ Church which is scheduled for December 4.
Even an appearance by Swindon’s panto villain Lorraine Chase hasn’t been enough to get visitors packing out the pews.
Macmillan is now in urgent talks with event sponsor Nationwide, which has generously agreed to foot the bill for the event so the charity can run it cost-free.
Adrian Williams, of Macmillan, said: “We are working really hard to sell enough tickets to ensure we do not have to cancel the event and are asking those who may have planned to buy tickets on the night to book in advance so we can be reassured of numbers attending.
“We are of course delighted that Lorraine Chase will be able to join us at the event, as the star of this years pantomime she will be central to Christmas in Swindon so we are glad that she will be has chosen to help kick off the festive season by appearing at this event.”
In a bid to rescue the event, Macmillan has reduced ticket prices from £15 per person to £10. Family tickets, which will admit four people, have also been introduced at £30.
All proceeds from the event, which is sponsored by Nationwide Building Society, will go directly to Macmillan Cancer Support, enabling them to support more people in Swindon living with cancer.
Doors at Christ Church, in Cricklade Road, Old Town, will open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start. It will be a community celebration, with schools joining the church choir for an evening of carols and musical performances.
Macmillan is running a competition among Swindon schools to produce an original Christmas composition that the winners will perform live on the night itself.
The competition prize has been sponsored by Capita and the winner will receive a laptop or flat screen television for their school.
To book tickets to save the event, call 01793 432252 or email awilliams@macmillan.org.uk.
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