The Somerton Social Club promotes social events in the village and the club opens its bar in the village hall every Thursday from 8.30pm until 11.00pm. On Thursday 24 May, Gospel Bell made our second visit to this modern and beautiful village hall, where we enjoyed a warm welcome and great hospitality – quite a challenge when a band of ten people turn up!

We should like to thank Emma Fitzgerald, Tracy Clark and all their team for organizing the evening and looking after us so well: Tracy’s comment was: ‘Great Thursday Night Live music, Fab food, Great village and chocolate cake!’ Band members Dave and Toni live in Somerton and Dave says there were lots of appreciative comments on the evening from friends and neighbours gathered in the bar after we’d finished our second set. Thank you Somerton – we are already looking forward to our next visit.

After the Gospel Bell performance at the Banbury Friendship Festival, we travelled on to Deddington, where we enjoyed plates of cakes, tea and a warm welcome at the annual ‘Teas in Church’ series of Sunday afternoons in May and June. As always, we enjoyed playing in St Peter and St Paul and several people came over at the end to say that they’d enjoyed the songs we play. The church was beautifully decorated following the Pentecost Sunday morning service, with prayer stations to facilitate prayers for the world.

GB next to the pulpit, draped in red for Pentecost Sunday

Gospel Bell were delighted to play again for the second consecutive year at the Banbury Friendship Festival – an annual, multi-faith celebration and charity fund-raising event. The day-long activities are free of charge – though donations of more than £300 were raised. This year, proceeds have been divided between three local charities: ‘Let’s Play’, The Sunrise Multicultural Centre and The Sunshine Centre.

Music at the Banbury Friendship Festival 2018

Sue the music organiser writes:

Thank you so much for coming along on Sunday and singing and playing – the performance in the hall was brilliant! It was good to see different communities sharing the day…let’s hope the whole idea can spread into our every day lives!  It has been a great pleasure to be on the BFF committee-have met some wonderful people…likewise it was good to meet up with old friends on Sunday and meet new people too. Thanks for the offer to play next year…we would love you to come!!

Gospel Bell were delighted to be welcomed back to St Leonard’s Banbury for a joyful Saturday evening social event and fund-raiser.

GB at St Leonard’s

Writing on behalf of St Leonard’s event organiser Sheila James said: ‘The feedback this morning at church from the people who came last night was that it was an extremely enjoyable evening – I know too that the children had a lovely time. In addition to a happy evening, we raised £117.03 in aid of a toilet facility we are building inside the church – so please extend our thanks to everyone that came and played or sang.’ For the first time, we were joined by Riley too – pictured below with Donald

Riley and Donald

On Sunday 29 April we were delighted to participate in an afternoon celebration service at St Mary Magdalene, Wardington. It’s the first time that we have played in this lovely old church – the earliest parts of which date from the 12th century. The chancel is particularly interesting because there is evidence that a church existed in Wardington by the year 1150. The band are pictured below with Shires Edge benefice Vicar Hilary Campbell, and we are looking forward to singing with Hilary and other members of the Gospel Edge singing group at future events.

GB with Hilary Campbell, Vicar, St Mary Magdalene, Wardington