A CHRISTMAS carol concert at Welshpool Livestock Market raised over £1,000 for farming charity RABI.

Over 300 people crammed into the sales ring at the Smithfield site to see performances from Dyffryn Tanat YFC, male voice choir Only Trefeg Aloud and Parti Penllan, featuring Montgomeryshire YFC vice-chairman Huw Jones. A group of talented individuals from Welshpool High School also performed a selection of numbers as a band, before joining up with their pals in the school choir. The evening was opened by Rev Jon Price and comperes Del Robinson and Huw Jones kept things flowing through the night.

The service was organised by members of RABI’s Montgomeryshire committee, who provided refreshments after the carol service – including 400 homemade mince pies.

The fundraiser comes at a good time for RABI, a charity which provides financial support to farming people of all ages. From January to November this year, RABI gave out around £253,000 in Wales, compared to £207,000 for the same period last year – a 22 per cent increase. This included £20,000 in Brecon and Radnor and £18,000 in Montgomeryshire.

Joan Watkins, secretary of RABI’s Montgomeryshire committee, said: “We’re grateful to the partners of Welshpool Livestock Sales for generously offering us such a unique venue. It was a fun-filled community event with some wonderful performances, which brought people together at a special time of year.”