NEWENT Community School gave three very different concerts over three consecutive weeks – and at the heart of each have been community links that the school has fostered over the last year.

The school’s head of music, Ellie O’Regan said: “The first concert was a collaboration with Gloucester Cathedral alongside Churchdown School Academy, following an invition from Jonathan Hope, assistant director of music, to take part in the pilot of Teenage Voices.

“This project is part of an outreach scheme by Gloucester Cathedral to encourage enthusiasm towards singing at secondary level, especially in schools.

“The concert took place on Wednesday, December 4 and was wonderfully received by parents, carers and families.

“Our second event was the Newent Community School Christmas Carol Concert at St. Mary’s Church.

“It was a traditional celebration of Christmas featuring a selection of carols and readings alongside a range of performances from students. The service was opened by Rev Simon Mason and led by our head boy, Max Farmer, and head girl, Nieve Mullins.

“On Wednesday, December 18, we concluded our Chrismas programme with the highly anticipated community Christmas concert – a bright and varied celebration of Christmas featuring Newent Community School students and guests the Forest Treblemakers Choir and Newent Orchestra.

“Alongside the guest performances, we also included solo performers and small groups, Newent Community School Orchestra and songs from The Teenage Voices Project.

“The night was also a celebration of community following new links with the Forest Treblemakers and an ongoing link between the school and Newent Orchestra, who have sent representatives into school on a weekly basis to support extra-curricular music groups.

“The night concluded with a collaborative performance of ‘Somewhere Only We Know’ with all performers singing on stage, and a solo by Daisy Kennedy of Year Seven.

“It was a very special evening.

“Each concert has been the result of our local community reaching out or responding to requests to collborate and all three performances were collborations that we feel very fortunate to have been part of.

“It is important to us that we thank those organisations and our school community of supportive staff and parents who come together to make all of these events possible for our young people.

“During these events, we have also provided our audiences with a small preview of our school production for 2020 – ‘Oliver!’

“We are very excited about our talented cast, who have been working hard this term.”

Tickets for the shows, starting Thursday, February at 7pm, are currently on sale.

There will also be a family performance with fancy dress competition at 1pm on Saturday, February 8.