A challenge has been set to create Cumbria’s biggest socially-distanced Christmas carol sing-along.

The Diocese of Carlisle is working in partnership with BBC Radio Cumbria and other churches across the county to run Cumbria’s Big Carol Sing on Sunday 20 December.

The radio station will broadcast a special programme from 6pm that evening, with as many people as possible being asked to sing the carol Silent Night on their doorsteps at 6.15pm.

BBC Radio Cumbria’s Richard Corrie, who will present the show, said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for the whole county to come together in song and to help lift the mood for everyone after what has been an unprecedented year due to the coronavirus.

“My hope is that as many people as possible will tune into the programme that night and will sing their hearts out from their doorsteps. We’d encourage all our listeners to let their family, friends and neighbours know so as many people as possible can join in.”

Cumbria’s Big Carol Sing follows on from similar successful events run by the radio station, including Dance on Your Doorstep during the first lockdown.

Eleanor Ledesma, Director of Big Reach and Digi-Evangelism for the Diocese’s God for All team, is helping oversee arrangements.

She said: “This is not just about churches coming together to sing the carol; it’s about everybody in Cumbria raising their voices for some much-needed festive cheer.

“It’s wonderful to think that thousands of people could unite in song across Cumbria, and feel the hope that is alive to us all through the birth of Jesus and his transformative love.”

Resources will be shared across social media platforms and websites – including at www.bigcarolsing.co.uk - in the coming weeks with people able to download the lyrics to the carol.

The countywide Big Carol Sing has already won the support of Andy Fearon, from Carlisle’s Vineyard Church.

He explained: “We just wanted to help keep hope alive in the city during this time and had already developed our own plans for this kind of event across Carlisle. So we were more than happy to join alongside Cumbria’s Big Carol Sing.

“It’s a very simple concept – get as many people singing a carol as we can at the same time – but it will create a wonderful feeling of unity and love across our county. I’d encourage as many people as possible to join in.”

Carol singers will be encouraged to share selfies and videos of their rendition of Silent Night on various social media channels under the hashtag #cumbriasbigcarolsing.

You will be able to listen to the special programme on BBC Radio Cumbria from 6pm on Sunday 20 December by tuning into the FM frequencies: North, East and West 95.6 FM. South 96.1 FM, Whitehaven and Keswick 104.1 FM, Kendal 95.2 FM, Windermere 104.2 FM. Alternatively you can listen live via the BBC Sounds app.

Make sure to follow Twitter and Facebook feeds for BBC Radio Cumbria, God for All Cumbria and the Diocese of Carlisle to keep up to date with the latest information.

ENDS

For further information please contact Dave Roberts, Diocesan Communications Manager, on 07469 153658, 01768 807764 or atcommunications@carlislediocese.org.uk.