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

The Silver Bough Ceilidh Band played at the Mid-Worcestershire Labour Party fund-raising event on Saturday 21 April. The event was conceived as a celebration of 100 years of women’s suffrage and the Club room had been beautifully decorated in the suffragette colours of purple and green. Those attending enjoyed an evening of dancing and reflection on the history of this cause and the Band were augmented by Donald’s friend Glen (guitar and vocals) and a theatrical percussionist who enjoyed playing along with us!

Decorated in purple and green, the Evesham Rowing Club bar and lounge looked great!

The Silver Bough Ceilidh Band played at a joyful twin celebration event – 25th wedding anniversary and 50th birthday on 14 April. The event was held in the Memorial Hall, Bishop’s Itchington, Warwickshire and the hall was packed with people who danced until late!

Donald and Jackie explain a Silver Bough circle dance

The Silver Bough Ceilidh Band helped to raise £800 for Oxfordshire-based Medic Assist International (MAI) at an all-age Barn Dance hosted by the Church of St Peter and St Paul, Deddington in support of MAI’s work in Embo, South Africa on 13 April.

Church of St Peter and St Paul, Deddington

The event was organized by MAI in conjunction with Banbury Community Church and the Church of St Peter and St Paul to raise funds in support of the HIV and AIDS caregiver team based at Embo Community Church, South Africa. Steve Travis, Executive Director, MAI said that: ‘Every ticket sold is going to help community caregivers to provide the home-based care and support that is vital to vulnerable and marginalized people with HIV and AIDS. The remarkable sum of £800 raised from the event will also help Embo’s vision for the work to be locally sustainable, so that community care can be provided to those that need it, for as long as it is needed.’

All age-barn dance, Church of St Peter and St Paul, Deddington

Members of Gospel Bell help to facilitate a quarterly popular music revival night ‘Groovy Tuesday’, hosted at the Bell, Adderbury, Oxfordshire.

Some of the singers and musicians at ‘Groovy Tuesday’ 20 Feb 18

Everyone who comes to the event is invited to bring with them and perform classic songs from the 1950s to the 1980s in ‘open mic’ style. Why not join us at the next event on Tuesday 22 May 2018? For more information see: https://www.facebook.com/Groovy.Tuesday/

Who invented rock and roll? It’s hard to be sure but it could have been Sean (pictured below with his precious Martin guitar) – he even knows all the obscure songs from the 1950s onwards. This is the ‘Groovy Tuesday’ house band: Sean and David (pictured left holding the sign board) sing and play their hearts out, David on rock, pop and blues guitar and Troy and Richard (pictured in the middle) make up the rhythm section. Last night we played: Dire Straits, the Eagles, ZZ Top, the Small Faces and old classics like ‘In the midnight hour’ ‘634-5789’(Wilson Pickett) and ‘Bonie Moronie’ (who remembers Larry Williams?). Great fun playing songs from 50 years ago (and more) and our repertoire is now big enough for us to play for about a week – non-stop!

The Groovy Tuesday house band – left to right – David, Troy, Richard, Sean

The Silver Bough Ceilidh Band led by Donald and Jackie provided the poetry, music and dancing for Burns Night at historic Talton House on Friday evening, 26 January 2018. Talton House is a Queen Anne period building with history and charm. The bedrooms are named after family members, including ‘Dr Watson’ who was Queen Victoria’s doctor. For all its atmospheric high ceilings it has a fun, relaxing vibe and it sleeps up to 23 and hosts events for around 60 people.

Historic Talton House, Warwickshire

A full house enjoyed a memorable evening, with bagpipes, haggis, old Scottish poetry and Ceilidh dancing in the large hall from early until late! It was a joyful evening with enthusiastic dancing and music led and performed by the impeccably dressed Silver Bough. In the photo below, we are relaxing in the ‘green room’ prior to all the revelry. Our thanks to Olivia and Barney for hosting the event and for looking after us so well.

The Silver Bough Ceilidh Band relax in the Talton House green room

BIRMINGHAM UNISON PRESENTS

Events for National Storytelling Week 2018

To celebrate 25 years of Creativity & Education in Public Services

With Donald McCombie, poet, storyteller, singer, musician, song writer.

Dates, venues and times:

Saturday 27^th January 11.30am Library of Birmingham

Saturday 27^th January 2.30pm Sparkhill Library

Tuesday 30^th January 10.15am Tower Hill Library

Wednesday 31^st January Springhill Library

Thursday 1^st February Birchfield Library

Friday 2^nd February Kingstanding Library

Enjoy family friendly poems, stories & songs for National Storytelling Week

Admission Free