Every year Susy Radio likes to offer the opportunity for a church, a choir or a school to be part of Christmas Day.

We look to record at the weekend (as we are volunteers with day jobs) and put together a service of carols and/or lessons for the Christmas Day broadcast.

This year we were welcomed by St Michael’s Church, Betchworth who combined choirs with St Mary The Virgin at Buckland under the musical director, Martin Hall and Organist, Richard Calver. The service was led by the Reverend Neil Vigers.

The Choir made up of 18 Sopranos, 6 Altos, 5 Tenors and 5 Basses who performed traditional carols such as “Oh come all ye faithful” and “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” with the congregation, and a beautiful variation on “A Bleak Midwinter” Words by Christina Rossetti and Music by Harold Darke (1888 – 1976) and a truly wonderful piece entitled “Myn Lyking” Music by R.R. Terry and words from the 15th Century.

St Michael`s church itself being a megastar of the big screen being the first church seen in Four “Weddings and a Funeral” provided a great acoustic to record if a little tricky with the choir due to the location of the organ, but with an accomplished organist Richard Calver balanced well in the mix

Technically there were 16 mics around the church, 5 mics (3 radio mics) covering “Once in Royal Davids City” which was processed around the aisles of the church, 6 mics on the choir, 1 on the organ and 2 on overhead booms covering the congregation plus reader lectern mic and radio clip mic on the Reverend Vigers.

Obviously you cannot see the procession of the choir on the radio so it is very important to pick all aspects up on the mics as an even sound starting from the opening note of the solo and lasting until conclusion of the 5th verse as the choir mics and congregational mics plus two floor mics take the role as the Choir approach the choir stalls at the alter. You can see this in the pictures.

It is always a pleasure to work with the local community and provide this opportunity, belay any nerves they have making them feel at ease so they give the best they can, remembering these are not professional choirs, these are supporters of the church and sing because they want to, and what a sound.

The parishioners of Betchworth and Buckland joining in on the congregational carols were magnificent in praise for raising not only the Christmas Spirit but the roof!

The Service of Nine lessons and Carols was recorded at St Michael`s Church, Betchworth on Sunday 18th December.

Engineered by Neil Munday with technical assistance from Steve Hall, the equipment was supplied free of charge by Susy Radio supporter “Outdoor Sound Company”.

The Broadcast at 1pm on Christmas Day was edited and introduced by Neil Munday with thanks to programme Director Geoff Rogers.

Photos: Neil Munday

Image courtesy of The Harlequin Theatre and Paul Holman Associates

Susy Radio’s Neil Munday and Chrissy recently visited this year’s Pantomime at the Harlequin Theatre in Redhill, and talked to some members of the cast.

‘Cinderella’ plays until Saturday, 31 December and stars Elisha Ainsley as Cinderella, Rebecca Wheatley as the Fairy Godmother, Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards as Baron Hardup, Phil Reid as Buttons, Oliver Grey and Dean Horner as Lavinia and Louisa Hardup (The Ugly Sisters) and Simon Bashford as Dandini.

Full details can be found at:
https://harlequintheatre.co.uk/events/cinderella

Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards:

Rebecca Wheatley:

Oliver Grey and Dean Horner:

Phil Reid and Simon Bashford:

Chrissy Muir talks with Phil Reid (Buttons)

Grateful thanks are extended to The Harlequin Theatre, Paul Holman Associates and the cast of ‘Cinderella’ for making Neil and Chrissy so welcome.

Image credit: Horley Carnival 2022

A spectacular themed parade will assemble in the Victoria Road car park before making its way through Horley Town Centre to the recreation ground.

Cllr Mike George, Chairman of the Horley Carnival, talked to Susy’s Shan Robins about what you can go along to see at the ‘Super Hero’ themed Horley Carnival, about the Superhero parade and hear what the judges might be looking for:

Talking of Superheroes, the men and women of the Fire Service are certainly right near the top! If you want to join them, pop along to the Carnival.

Whilst you are there, why not pop along to the Susy Radio Outside Broadcast Unit and say ‘Hello!’

You can find lots more information on the Carnival website: https://horleycarnival.co.uk