East Sussex 2005

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Day 1 - Friday 5th August 2005

This year's tour began as we all assembled at 7am in Sandbach, we packed the coach and set off south towards east Sussex for our annual tour.

After a long day of coach travel we arrived in the village of Berwick, just outside Eastbourne, where we were to be based at the village hall for the next few days.

Berwick Village Hall

Unpacking inside

Not only was the hall our home but also the venue for our first concert. We opened our tour by playing to an audience largely made up of the local community, many of whom were supporting us all week. The concert made us an instant hit and set the ball rolling for the rest of the concerts.

Day 2 - Saturday 6th August 2005

With the tour now up and running we began the second day with a short concert at a Priory. The beautiful weather brought out many people who enjoyed the bands performance on the lawn outside the house.

The Band's second concert

Katie's Euphonium solo

Next up was our first trip to the sea side. We travelled the short distance to Eastbourne and had some free time to enjoy the south coast before playing in the biggest and best bandstand most of us have ever seen.

Band members on Eastbourne Beach

Eastbourne Bandstand.

The bands performs

Following a well received performance on the bandstand the we then went back to base for our evening meal and a free evening of games, the highlight of which was a game a rounders involving all 30 of the band plus Nigel!

Day 3 - Sunday 7th August 2005

We began Sunday with a trip to a car/air show. It was a very big event held at a stately home just on the border with Kent. There was many things to see and do before our performance during the afternoon to a big crowd, the concert here was so well received that the organisers not only encouraged us to play on longer but also enquired about booking us in 2 years time!

The car show

Sunday afternoon concert

We then returned back to the Village hall for a special evening meal. Being Sunday the committee decided to put a roast dinner on, not a big task until you remember there were 35 people to feed!!! It turned out fine though and was enjoyed by all.

Next came the evening entertainment, it has become tradition for there to be an evening of team work involving silly games. This year we were split into teams and given a small number of items including: bin bags, toilet roll, various paper, sewing equipment and other stationary. We had the task of using it to create something that represents a film of TV programme. This was great fun and had everybody involved in a variety of things! Hopefully pictures of this event will follow.

Day 4 - Monday 8th August

Monday was an unusual day as there was no concert booked. Fitting so many concerts into the other days at varying venues meant the Bus driver had to have a rest day. There was no rest for the band though as we spent the morning in sectional rehearsals with senior members of the band while Nigel heard every member individually for 10 minutes. This gave Nigel the chance to assess everybody's progress and judge how they can contribute to the band in the coming band. It also gave the senior members of the band a chance to conduct a section and help the newer less experienced players learn in a smaller environment. After lunch the band met up for full rehearsal with Nigel, the results of sectional work were immediately noticeable as the standard of playing on the pieces covered was very high. Although the sectionals were not a competition Nigel did mention that one person had excelled expectations recently, well done to Danielle Unwin.

Sarah leads a back row cornet sectional

Andrew leads a bass sectional

Chris leads the Trombone sectional

Ian leads a front row cornet sectional

Bens percussion sectional

Katie leads the Horns and Baritions

The basses were extra keen!!!

After dinner we set out for an evening of bowling. Bowling has become a bit of a tradition in recent years and is always very enjoyable and very competitive. Perhaps the surprise package was our Spanish bus driver Jose who had never been 10 pin bowling in his life yet managed a huge 129 in his first game!!!

Bowling

2 seconds earlier Nigel was flat on his back!!!

Bowling

Day 5 - Tuesday 9th August

Tuesday morning was back to action and back to the sea side, this time Hastings. We began with some free time to explore the various sea front attractions, many opted for the fun fair or some more competitiveness in adventure golf.

We returned to the coach a picked up all of the instruments before proceeding to drag them up a hill to a church for our first concert of the day. The concert was another well received event especially so as it was part of their annual festival. There was also a nice surprise as a parent of a former band member (Adrian Hope) was there as she now lives in Hastings.

"and she puts for the championship!"

The crucial score count

Concert in Hastings

After this concert we headed back to Eastbourne where we had dinner out before locating the Central Methodist Church in Eastbourne for our evening concert. The church was packed with a variety of people from local Lions club members too Mp's and regular church goers. All of them enjoyed the concert as did the band.

Neil performs in Eastbourne Methodist

Day 6 - Wednesday 10th August

Wednesday saw us pack up and leave Berwick and head north, on the way we stopped off at Standen House, a national trust property not far north of Eastbourne. As we were there early there was time for a laugh as we decided to see what it would sound like to swap instruments, the results were amusing to us but not anyone who was listening!!! When the public started arriving we quickly restored order on more familiar instruments and gave a short concert in the very hot sun.

Phil Dobson conducts the alternative band!

Nigel takes over with people back in normal seats

After this we headed much further north to Telford in Shropshire. There was a slight panic when we first arrived as we were taken to the hall we were to sleep in only to find it was more of a building site and there was no running water or toilets. After some quick work from the local Lions club they arranged for alternative accommodation in a hotel function room. Many thanks to them all for saving the day.

The evening concert was in Wrekin College and was received very well by an audience largely made up of Lions club members.

Sarah and Fran play their duet

The can can dancers

We went to the hotel owned by the Lions club chairmen which welcomed us in and gave us a great function room to sleep in for the night.

Day 7 - Thursday 11th August

Our final day began with a concert in Wellington town centre, just a short walk from the hotel. This was possibly the best outdoor concert of the trip as the town was packed with appreciating members of the public. Once again the local Lions members turned out in force and collected around £100 for the band while we played.

Ben performs Czardes

An increased number of can can dancers

after the concert we walked to a local cafe for free tea and biscuits, we thanked the local Lions members for their hospitality before setting off for a shopping trip to Telford.

Birthday boy Steven

Nigel thanks the Lions club of Telford

We then got back on the coach and departed for home. We stopped off for our traditional end of tour meal at the Brocklebank in Crewe where we thanked our driver Jose and gave Ruth a birthday bouquet.

Birthday girl Ruth

Bus driver Jose receives thanks from Sarah

All that was left to do was play our end of tour concert. But first we had to get in to Sandbach girls school! Despite arriving at 6 the caretaker did not arrive until around 7 with many of the audience already arriving and the band needing to change. But after a terrible rush we managed to start close to 7:30, testament to some great team work.

The concert is always a great success and this year was no disappointment, the audience enjoyed hearing the band as well as stories about our week away and by the end were all on a high after yet another superb performance on concert number 11!

Steph Hughes receives her leaving banner

Katie receives her leaving banner

Sarah receives Bandsman of the Year award

The Can Can, the only way to end a tour concert!

Tour band members

An official band photo

Cornets: Sarah Raisbeck (Principal), Phil Dobson, Tom Hancock, Dan Balding, Amy Ball, Ian Raisbeck*, Abi Edwards, Matthew Darlington, Danielle Unwin, Milly,

Horns: Charlotte Wilson (flugel), Neil Raisbeck, Katy Dobson, Charles Gorse.

Euphoniums/Baritones: Katie Smallwood, Emma , Steven Bebbington, Susannah Ball.

Trombones: Francesca Beverage, Georgina , Ashley Taylor, Chris Thompson*

Basses: Andrew Felton*, John Allcock, James Darlington, Edward Miles, Rob.

Percussion: Ben Croombs, Mark Thomas

*Indicates ex-member returning to help - our thanks to them all*

Our travelling Committee 2004

Travelling Committee: Jane Stubbs (Chairman), Nigel Birch (Musical Director), Brian Stubbs, Ruth Jenkins, Katie Stubbs.

Other group photo's

In Telford

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