The magical evening of Carols in the Cornmarket in Wimborne, which took place on Friday 22 December, attracted hundreds of people. For the second year in succession, to keep in line with a plastic free town, lanterns placed in the Wimborne in Bloom flower towers lit up the Cornmarket. Organised jointly by Hilda Butler and

Anthony Oliver as a community event since 2006, a welcome was given by Anthony Oliver before Salvation Army Officer Major Carole Gadsden opened the evening with prayer.

The carol singing was accompanied by the Broadstone Community Concert Band under the direction of Damon Corio and some minster choristers under the direction of Colin Davey, organist and director of the choirs at the Minster.

After the singing of the first two carols, The Rev Nick Wells, the minster curate, sang solo ‘O come, O come Emmanuel’ accompanying himself on his guitar before the Mayor Cllr Carol Butter read a lesson from Luke’s Gospel. Two of the minster choristers – Esther Davey and Eden Wells – sang solo verses of ‘Once in Royal David’s City’ and ‘Silent Night, Holy Night’ respectively whilst Eden also read the poem ‘Before the ice is in the pools’ by Emily Dickinson. The final blessing was pronounced by the Rev Canon Andrew Rowland, rector of Wimborne Minster.

The event was sponsored by Wimborne BID, Optique 2000 and Wimborne Minster Town Council, which paid for the candles and the printing of the carol sheets. Radio Wimborne provided the public address system with the power being provided by Andrew David Associates.

A collection taken for the mayor’s charities, Dial-a-Ride, Walford Mill Education Trust and the UK Wild Otter Trust, raised £671.

After the event, Damon Corio said: “It was a fantastic evening. It still never ceases to amaze me how it all works out and how the crowd appear and disappear. The whole event is a testament to Wimborne Community spirit. We, the band, are delighted to be asked to play and it is already on the band calendar for next year”.