Episode 1 of 'Sound Vault: Voices' captures the Councillors' Charity Carol Crawl 2017 around the seven pubs of the civic parish of Yateley, in the NE corner of Hampshire, raising money for the Yateley Town Mayor's Charity for 2017-18, community transport service YelaBus.

The podcast follows the Mayor (Tony Spencer), the Town Clerk (Jane Biscombe), members of the Yateley Choral Society, and town councillors who joined them en-route as they sung carols, and delivered recitations at each of the pubs.  To provide added interest, the podcast provides a brief snapshot of the history of each of the pubs.

The first stop was The Anchor, on Vigo Lane in Yateley, where "I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In" and "Deck The Halls" were sung, and the Mayor read "Santa's Sack".

The second stop was The Ely, on the A30 London Road, where "The Holly and The Ivy" and "Away In A Manger" were sung, and the Mayor read "A Donkey's Christmas".

The third stop was The Bell, on Frogmore Green, where "Ding Dong Merrily On High" and "Silent Night, Holy Night" were sung, and the Mayor read "Little Lost Fairy".

The fourth stop was The Cricketers, on Cricket Hill Green, where "While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night" and "The First Noel" were sung, and the Mayor read "Sleepy Little Shepherd Boy".

The fifth stop was the Royal Oak, on Reading Road, where "We Three Kings of Orient Are" and "Once In Royal David's City" were sung, and the Mayor read "The Christmas Tree".

The sixth and penultimate stop was the White Lion, at the junction of Reading Road and Village Way, where "Good King Wenceslas" and "God Rest You Merry Gentlemen" were sung, and the Mayor read "Quality Street".

The seventh and final stop was the Dog and Partridge on Church End Green, where "O Come All Ye Faithful", "O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree", "Silent Night" and a special version of "While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night" were sung, and the Mayor read "When Vicar Put on't Live Nativity".

On the night, £338 was raised for YelaBus, and if this podcast has helped provide some festive cheer, please consider donating to YelaBus, via Yateley Town Council's offices, next to The Tythings on Yateley Green.

Fundraising for such community transport provision has become vital following Hampshire County Council's recent vote to cut £140 million from it's annual budget - which will effectively mean no further support for such schemes for the elderly and less able.

Special thanks to the Yateley Society Local History Wiki site, and the research of PJ Tipton, Richard Johnston, and Elizabeth Tipton of the Yateley Society for signposting the history of Yateley's pubs.

Thanks too for additional background to Greg Bramwell on the history of the White Lion, in 'Myths and Legends' in the October 2016 edition of 'Around Yateley' magazine.

Sound effects credits: www.freesfx.co.uk