Shrewsbury's Doorstep Carols gets thousands singing for Christmas across the nation

Doorstep Carols returned for its second year, and organiser Katy Rink confirmed it will be back again next year.

Singers gathered in the streets, on village greens, outside hospitals and care homes to take part in the Shropshire-born initiative. This year's event saw massed carol singing in Trafalgar Square, at Winchester and Canterbury Cathedrals, outside Great Ormond Street and Birmingham Children's hospitals and even under Concorde at British Aerospace. People were singing on doorsteps all across the country, with the carols played by BBC Local Radio.

The 'epicentre' event in Shropshire was Shrewsbury's Carols in the Square, hosted by BBC Radio Shropshire, with carols played by Shrewsbury Brass Band, conducted by Jeremy Lund, retired head of music at Prestfelde School. He wrote all of the sheet music for Doorstep Carols and has been a core part of the volunteer organising team this year.

There were other mini events at Shrewsbury's Market Hall, at the Shropshire Way Association sculpture on Kingsland Bridge, at Withywood on Ellesemere Road, all over Belle Vue, in Castlefields and Mountfields in Frankwell, where vicar Tim Vasby-Burnie led the singing accompanied by brass quartet The Brass Buttons.

For Katy, who came up with the idea, the most special scenes are people on their doorsteps, enjoying a festive sing-along with friends and neighbours.

She said: "It was wonderful to see the pictures and video from all across the UK - all the happy smiling faces and knowing that festive memories are being created. Doorstep Carols is a great example of people working together all across the UK for the power of good - to build communities, create positive experiences and bring joy in the run up to Christmas.

"Thank you everyone who nudged their neighbours to join in, to all the choirs, charities and other organisations who got involved this year and to our lovely team of volunteers at Shropshire Festivals and my co-organisers Beth Heath and Rebecca Smith, who worked so hard to spread the word and make this happen. Get ready for Doorstep Carols 2022! It looks like we have created a new Christmas tradition. It's too good a thing not to bring it back next year!"

Katriona Wade, of Shrewsbury Streetscape Project, was hosting a sing-along on South Hermitage. She said: We had a fab time on South Hermitage and our new neighbours met some more hermits!"

Helen Hampton, of Popchoir, which led the nation in song from Trafalgar Square, said: “We had a great time. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. We had a great crowd listening and joining in – it was a huge success.”

Katy added: "The most southern community we know of that joined in was Kingston on the Isle of Purbeck, whilst the most northern was a care home in Aberdeen! To the west were events in Cornwall and to the east, there was lots of singing going on Suffolk, which is a real Doorstep Carols heartland thanks to the Diocese of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich getting behind it."

Many communities chose to signal the start with the ringing of bells, including at Hurstpierpoint in Sussex and Kingston. In Mitton, Tewkesbury, they gathered to sing under an 8ft tree at Victoria Cross.

Charities benefitting include the Ruth Strauss Foundation, The Fire Fighters Charity, Great Ormond Street Hospital and several more. Choose to donate via their pages on the Doorstep Carols website doorstepcarols.co.uk.