The Cumbrian farming community will now be able to enjoy all their favourite Christmas carols – thanks to The Farmer Network, an organisation based at Newton Rigg College in Penrith coming to the rescue and organising an online alternative.

In recent years organised by the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI), auction mart rings have been packed with farming families, singing carol’s and celebrating the farming year.

But the coronavirus pandemic has meant no carol services can go ahead this year at local auction marts.

Network Managing Director, Adam Day said: “Knowing how popular the farmers carol services are, we felt we must do something to ensure that we can bring the community together, especially for those who are more isolated. The message is that we are still here together."

The Christmas Concert has been pre-recorded and will be live streamed on the Cumbria Farmer Network Facebook page on Tuesday, December 22 at 7pm: https://www.facebook.com/thecumbriafarmernetwork

It will be hosted by Laura J and Adam Day from local band The Soul Survivors and will contains a mix of singalong Christmas songs and carols together with a message and prayers from Reverend Richard Hall of Greystoke.