The first Hospitals’ Choir Christmas Carol Concert was held in the Free Trade Hall, Peter Street, Manchester on 22nd December 1972 when all the tickets were sold within hours of going on general sale!

The Ladies Section of the choir mainly consisting of nurses in uniform with starched white aprons, caps and buckled belts, far outnumbered the males in their white shirts, black bow tie and dinner jackets.

So much so that both sopranos and altos section overflowed onto the side gallery of the circle part of the auditorium where they sat next to members of the audience.

One thing had been overlooked; demand far outstripped supply of available tickets such that many members of the public were left disappointed outside the Hall in Peter Street.

Despite this imbalance of male to female parts, the concert proved a great success enjoyed by all.

Nearly 50 years on with a more balanced choir and new venue we still continue. Originally, the cause supported was the Malcolm Sargent Cancer Fund for Children which, later, merged to become CLIC Sargent and from 2021 became Young Lives vs Cancer which the Manchester & Districts Hospitals’ Choir is pleased still to be supporting all these years on and in all this time hundreds of thousands of pounds has been raised to support what all choir members believe to be this most worthwhile of charities.