For the past ten years, the Croydon Male Voice Choir (CMVC) has performed twice every Christmas at the Whitgift Centre to raise money for local charities. This year, the mall’s management company Westfield cancelled the show. 

The choir – who are a charity themselves – were instead invited to enter the shopping centre’s Christmas Carol Competition. There are three categories, including one for community groups, and a cash prize of £500 for each. 

Kimball Ormond, chair of CMVC contacted Westfield in September 2024 to try and arrange the dates for this year’s performances.  

He then received an “anonymised bounce back saying no sorry, we don’t do that”. 

After sending another email explaining the CMVC’s usual tradition and being ignored for some time, CMVC were then invited to join the competition.  

According to Ormond, the two shows that the CMVC do, usually raise up to £2000 for various local charities 

“So, it’s a significant amount [the charities will be missing out on]. We use it to help some local charities, and they’re not going to get that help this year,” Ormond told EastLondonLines.  

“I’m annoyed because one, actually we quite like doing it! It’s a bit of fun when, I mean, we get 30 or 40 guys singing to the public. And we raise quite a lot of money. Who doesn’t like listening to carols at Christmas?” Osmond said.  

The choir will be hosting a different fundraising event on November 16 at the Croham Hurst Golf Club alongside The Sandilands Shantymen – members of the CMVC, and Madder Mill Molly Dancers – a Morris dance group based in Carshalton.  

This event will be specifically to raise money for one of the members of the choir, who has recently been diagnosed with moto-neuron disease.  

“He’s crashed really fast” Ormand told ELL. 

The money will be used for him to make necessary adjustments to his house.

Tickets for the November 16 show can be purchased for £15 in cash on the door at Croham Hurst Golf Club, on the night.