Countdown To Christmas Starts In Uckfield

Lawson Commercial partners Chris and Julia Lawson were delighted to attend the Friends of Sussex Hospices (FSH) Countdown to Christmas concert at Holy Cross Church on Sat 25 November.


Over 200 people attended the concert helping to raise money for this worthwhile charity. Those providing music included world famous soprano Dame Felicity Lott, the Sussex songbird, accompanied on the piano by musicologist Graham Griffiths.

She was joined by 25 members of the Glynbourne Youth Opera, aged 9 – 13, who impressed every one performing a variety of songs led by Glynbourne chorus director Aidan Oliver. Certainly some opera stars of the future there.


The audience joined in with some well know carols accompanied by Assistant Director of Music at Holy Cross Timothy Guntrip. Readings were provided by well know actor Robert Bathurst and the evening was ably orchestrated by Master of Ceremonies Rev Tom Duncan. The prayers and blessing were led by Uckfield’s own rev Father John Wall.


Dame Felicity and Robert Bathurst are patrons and strong supporter of FSH and have generously given their support over a number of years. Chris Lawson, who is chairman of the management & fund raising committee of FSH, said what a huge treat the whole evening was and especially to host the young people of Glynbourne Youth Opera on their journey to become artists of the future.

FSH was established in 1995 to raise funds to support the running costs of the now 13 hospice care providers in East & West Sussex. There are no paid staff the charity being run totally by volunteers. To date they have raised just over £3.5 million. Lawson Commercial have been a keen supporter of this worthwhile charity for many years

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