In this centenary year Dudley Town Hall was the venue for the town’s annual Festival of Remembrance on November 6 in aid of the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal. A near sell-out audience, including the Mayor of Dudley, Councillor Margaret Aston and her consort, Councillor Adam Aston, enjoyed a fantastic concert of varied entertainment, staged, as is customary, by the Gentlemen Songsters Male Voice Choir. The proceedings began with a moving remembrance service led by Rev Andrew Wickens, during which the last post and reveille were sounded either side of a respectful two minutes’ silence, the national flag lowered and raised by two young sea-cadets. The hymns ‘Abide with Me’ and ‘Lord of All Hopefulness’ were sung by the audience, accompanied by Phoenix West Midlands Brass under their musical director Craig Stevens. .

The second half of the evening then got into full swing as the Gentlemen Songsters, conducted by Mike Wells, performed some favourite pieces from their large repertoire and Phoenix Brass played a varied selection of music. A touch of glamour was provided by Natasha Harper, a lovely golden- voiced Yorkshire lass, decked out in forties’ fashion, who sang songs associated with the two world wars, the audience joining in the best-known ones with gusto.

Master of Ceremonies was Northern Ireland veteran and choir member Ian Rawlings, whose growing reputation as a comedian and teller of tall tales is met with some disdain by other choir members, but whose jokes are met with great hilarity by audiences.

A considerable amount of money was raised for the Poppy Appeal; as well as the proceeds from the sale of tickets, the people of Dudley showed their generosity further, a sum close to £1,000 coming from the sale of union jacks together with a bucket collection. The Gentlemen Songsters Male Voice Choir is back at the Town Hall again for its annual Christmas Charity Concert on December 13 at 7.30pm. For tickets (at £10) call 01384 838863 or 0870 320 7000.