Civic reception for Ballymena Gospel Male Voice Choir
Members of the Ballymena Gospel Male Voice Choir were treated to a civic reception on Friday night by Mid & East Antrim Mayor Billy Ashe in the Braid Arts Centre to mark their 70th anniversary year.
The Ballymena choir, which originated as the Evangel Choir in late 1945 from a gospel quartet, sang two of their pieces at the start of the night.
After they gave the Mayor a copy of the cd made at this year’s anniversary Choir Festival, Cllr Ashe surprised the choir by presenting them with a framed painting of Slemish Mountain featuring a suitably engraved plaque as well as a specially made anniversary cake which their oldest and longest serving member, John Luke, was asked to cut.
The occasion was concluded with the Choir performing two more pieces and their ‘anthem’, “We’ll all be there”.