Dear All,
Great work last night I thought – and very jolly too!
COMING EVENTS
Tuesday 14 February 10.30 – 12.00Singing for and with the North Dorset Stroke Club. Charlton Village Hall (Just off the A30 about 2m from Shaftesbury).
Our programme will consist of (in no particular order): We’ve got all the love; Let’s call the whole thing off; California Dreamin’; I’m gonna sing, sing, sing; Every time I feel the spirit; Shenandoah; Lollipop; Chattanooga Choo Choo. (As agreed, I have invited a flautist friend from Tisbury to contribute an item too.) Although we will be including all of these songs in our sessions over the coming weeks, if we feel there is a need for an extra practice nearer the date then I am fairly sure that can be organised.
OTHER DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Thurs 2 – Sat 4 February Your last chance to see Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves at Shaftesbury Arts Centre, 7.30 pm. Quite a few choir members are taking part so do support it if you possibly can.
Friday 3 February 12.00Foteini Koutsotheodorou, who co-ordinated the humanitarian response to refugees on the Greek island of Samos, will share stories of her experiences, at Bell Street United Church, Shaftesbury. All welcome. Bring your own lunch.
Saturday 11 February Spectra Musica invite you to their Come and Sing Day in Cheap Street Church, Sherborne. The workshop will feature Handel’s ‘Israel in Egypt’ in a programme entitled ‘A Georgian Choral Extravaganza’.
Friday 10 March Introductory meeting for Salisbury International Arts Festival’s “Voices of the Whale” project. See attached flier or talk to Yuko (soprano) for more details
Sunday 7 May STUPENDOUS SINGING DAY If you like the idea of singing together with hundreds of other singers, you won’t want to miss the Dorset Community Choir Festival on at Charlton Down Village Hall (otherwise known as Herrison Hall). Although we won’t be taking part as a choir, several choir members have been in the past and have really loved it. (Talk to Nicola and Linda in the altosamongst others.) Choir leaders include Sarah Pennington (of Gilo ‘n’ Sarah) and Jon Conway (B Naturals). It starts in the early afternoon, followed by an early evening concert in which choirs from across Devon, Dorset and Hampshire will perform from their own repertoire. It's £15 for the whole event, with an additional £10 if you'd like supper. Alternatively if you prefer, you could just go to the concert in the evening - £5 a ticket. Contact Su Lewis for information and tickets.
Tel: 01305 776106 or email her on weysound@yahoo.co.uk
STOP PRESS Westminster Memorial Hospital Dick (bass) writes:
I think we are winning! Thanks to you all and everyone involved. We have certainly stirred things up!
The chief of the DCCG [Tim Goodson] has visited us, twice, and is coming again. He has received delegations from MPs, mayors, and others, and has listened to verbal and written views, expressed in correspondence, petitions, questionnaires, and personal conversations. He can be in no doubt of the local strong feelings on keeping our beds, and retaining Shaftesbury’s central role in serving North Dorset and parts of neighbouring counties.
Several groups have joined in the pressure, including the both town council, smaller councils in the area, and Julian Prichard’s group. All deserve our gratitude for focussing on the issue and promoting questionnaire responses.
Two MPs, 2 mayors, 4000 people via the petition [which DCCG has now agreed can be ‘counted’ in the response], several meetings, local councils, and questionnaire returns which you have sent in, plus questions in Parliament, make it impossible to ignore!
Let us hope that a decision will emerge that is to our liking. Fingers crossed! I think it will!
David