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Good sports face the chill to attend 'Mary Christmas' concert

At the recent 'Mary' Christmas event at the Island Centre are one of the Leading Ladies Lynne McAllister, conductor Bobby Wright, Pond Park Primary's Acting Principal and pianist Geoffrey Cherry and Joan McCloy, Chairman of the Mary Peters Trust. Dame Mary Peters with children from Pond Park Primary who helped spread some festive cheer with songs at the recent 'Mary' Christmas event at the Island Centre held by the Mary Peters Trust. The P4 and P5 children pictured with Dame Mary are (from left) Callum Patterson, Ben Thompson, Lucy Gillanders, Leigh Gordon, Rebecca Lynn, Thomas Cherry, Peter McCrea and Patrick Lynn.
At the recent 'Mary' Christmas event at the Island Centre are one of the Leading Ladies Lynne McAllister, conductor Bobby Wright, Pond Park Primary's Acting Principal and pianist Geoffrey Cherry and Joan McCloy, Chairman of the Mary Peters Trust. Dame Mary Peters with children from Pond Park Primary who helped spread some festive cheer with songs at the recent 'Mary' Christmas event at the Island Centre held by the Mary Peters Trust. The P4 and P5 children pictured with Dame Mary are (from left) Callum Patterson, Ben Thompson, Lucy Gillanders, Leigh Gordon, Rebecca Lynn, Thomas Cherry, Peter McCrea and Patrick Lynn.

OVER 400 good sports faced the chill of winter to support a 'Mary' Christmas concert at the Lisburn Island Centre in aid of the Mary Peters Trust.

The Trust was established to create an ongoing and meaningful commemoration of Dame Mary's gold medal win in the 1972 Munich Olympics.

Each year it supports talented young sportsmen and women, both able-bodied and disabled, from across Northern Ireland with grants designed to offset expenses incurred in training and competing.

The evening celebrated the renaming of the Trust and the entertainment was provided courtesy of the impressive repertoire of Northern Ireland's premier song birds The Leading Ladies, supported by Pond Park Primary School.

The compere was local lady Laura Kerr, who is no stranger to the stage having produced numerous productions for the Lambeg Players and Pond Park School and she will soon be preparing to take on the leading role in 'Hello Dolly' for Belfast Operatic Society in the Grand Opera House.

Overwhelmed at how much was raised Joan McCloy, Chairman of the Mary Peters Trust said: "We'd like to thank everyone who came along, facing the bite of the winter weather and that of the credit crunch. You helped us raise a fantastic �3000. This money will greatly help boost our funds for 2009."

Delighted that the school was asked to participate in the evening's entertainment Geoffrey Cherry, Acting Principal, Pond Park Primary, said: "We were delighted to be asked and I am very proud of children and staff. Our school has always had a strong tradition of music. A strong emphasis is placed on performing and we particularly feel it important to support the community and local charities through music."

Ulster Star
19/12/2008