Journalists' Carol Service at St. Bride's
20/11/2009
Journalists' carol service, St Bride's Church 14.12.2009
What better way could there be to start the festivities than to join in the annual journalists' Christmas carol service at St Bride's Church. An evening rounded off with mince pies and a glass of wine was also an occasion to support journalists who have fallen on hard times.
A packed church was treated to an engaging choice of religious and lighter readings and the very best that St Bride's choir could offer: a joyful rendition of The Twelve Days of Christmas and then the surprise of Chris de Burgh's A Spaceman Came Travelling.
The Reverend George Pitcher (religion editor, Daily Telegraph) welcomed journalists, their friends and families to a church situated at the heart of Fleet Street where journalism began 500 years ago with the first commercial printing presses. On behalf of the Journalists' Charity, he thanked the communication consultants Luther Pendragon for hosting the service once again.
Two of the BBC's leading journalists were among a distinguished cast of guest readers. After the political editor Nick Robinson gave the first reading Martha Kearney, presenter of the World At One added a festive note with Twas The Night Before Christmas.
John Betjeman's Christmas was chosen by Tracey Boles, city editor of the Sunday Express; James Harding, editor of The Times, read Lake Isle of Innisfree by W.B.Yeats; and the fifth guest reading was by Olivia Cole, columnist for the London Evening Standard.
Chris Boffey, chair of the Journalists' Charity, reminded the congregation of the help which was provided: £300,000 was awarded each year in grants to help journalists who could not cope. Usually ill health was the reason why assistance was needed. Rarely were problems caused by drink but were more usually stress related. Redundancy and unemployment were becoming all too frequent. But Chris Boffey challenged the doom mongers about the troubles of the news media. 'Unfortunately there are too many journalist deniers around who try to say our trade is dying...well, I don't think so'.
George Pitcher struck a cheerful note in welcoming those journalists who had moved on from newspapers to the electronic news media. 'Journalists were gathered here in Fleet Street long before the days when expressions such as "You must start tweeting traffic into your blog" became common usage. But all journalists are welcome here in St Bride's, whether they are in digital media or the traditional press".
Nicholas Jones 15.12.2009
END