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It was great fun playing carols and Christmas tunes at Springfields for switching on the Christmas lights in our Santa hats. We started at 6.00pm and played at the entrance to the Mall. The lights were switched on a little after 7.30pm and we played until 8.00pm.

Tom Lister who plays Carl King in Emmerdale was there to sign autographs and switched on the Christmas Lights. There was also music from Alan Turner from the X Factor. But we, of course, saw nothing of it, as we played away at the entrance!

30th October 2010 - Last Night of the Proms at Gedney Dawsmere

We had a great concert at Christ Church, Gedney Dawsmere. It was planned as a Last Night of the Proms, but in the first half we celebrated the 70th anniversary of the Battle of britain. The second half had the Proms favourites of Pomp and Circumstance March and Fantasia of British Sea Songs.

The concert was organised by the Royal British Legion branch of Gedney Drove End and Dawsmere. The church as full and the organisers provided everyone in the audience with a Union Flag to wave; they also in fine voice sining Land of Hope and Glory very well. There was much flag-waving, stamping and clapping during the Fantasia on British Sea Songs.

Principal cornet Steven Butter played a solo 'Maid of the Moor (Demelza)' and Kim Huddlestone (1st baritone) and Mel Hopkin (MD) played a euphonium duet 'Summertime'.

The band reprised Land of Hope and Glory as an encore.

14th November 2010 - Remembrance Service at Holbeach St Marks

We returned to Holbeach St Marks for their Remembrance Service. We played incidental music, outside the Church, at the War Memorial for the laying of the poppy wreath and Steven played Last Post and Reveille.

Then we moved back into the church and played for the remembrance service. At the end of the service Steven played Last Post and Reveille again at the back of the Church. Well done to Steven - you played Last Post very well.

Conditions in Church were quite cramped - we had 5 more band members there than last year, but the area available to us was reduced by the presence of a piano!

4th December 2010 - Carols at Springfields

We gave our new winter uniform its first outing at Springfields Shopping Centre where we played carols during the morning. Despite the recent wintry weather, we had a good turnout. And the band sounded really good. And, of course, looked smart in our winter coats and santa hats.

11th December 2010 - Carols at Springfields

We had another great performance at Springfields. We had a good turnout and the weather was much kinder than last week. We played from 10.00am to 12.00 noon; Springfields opened at 10.00 and it was fairly quiet to start with but the shoppers soon started arriving.

12th December 2010 - Holbeach Christmas Fayre

We played carols at the annual Christmas Fayre. We played in the High Street for most of the time but towards the end we moved over to Hawkins Hardware Store and played outside; it was very nice that staff and customers came out to listen. Close to where we were playing Star Wars characters were raising money for charity and our younger players had their photographs taken with them.

18th December 2010 - Carols at Sainsburys

The third Saturday of December and we played carols outside Sainsburys supermarket in Spalding. It was cold (around -4 degrees); we were under cover and out of the wind but it was cold!!

18th December 2010 - Christmas Concert

After a cold morning playing carols, we played our Christmas Concert at All Saints Church, Holbeach. We had just about thawed out when we got there, but the Church was only 12.5 degrees. It was well below freezing outside with a touch of snow - probably why we did not get much of an audience. This was a pity because we played a very good concert.

Programme

These concert items were intersperced with carols.

Title	Composer	Arranger
It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas	Meredith Wilson	Frank Bernaerts
Christmas Celebration		Darrol Barry
For Unto Us A Child is Born	Georg Friedrich Handel	Jan van Kraeydonck
Christmas Piece		Goff Richards
Jingle Bell Rock	Chaulk Wayne	Frank Bernaerts
Swing into Christmas		Frank Bernaerts
Last Christmas	George Michael	Frank Bernaerts
Coventry Carol		Ian Bartram
Christmas Twins	Steve Nelson, Jack Rollins, Gene Autry & Oakley Haldeman	Frank Bernaerts
Merry Christmas Eveerybody	James Lea & Neville Holder	Frank Bernaerts

19th December 2010 - Hospital visit

At last, playing in the warm! We made our regular Christmas visit to the Holbeach Hospital and played carols for the residents in the three day rooms.

Then we went on to Patchett Lodge nursing home and played more carols in the day room.

We has a much larger group than usual (thanks to the band for turining out) but we had to keep the volume right down!

We had agreed in advance with the Hospital and Patchett Lodge that we would go to them, so it was a little disappointing that neither of them were expecting us!

24th December 2010 - Carols at Springfields

Our last carol playing this year. We had a good trunout again despite many members being at work. We were back at Springfields and it was particularly cold - the temperature was probably no worse than the last few weeks, but there was a biting wind.

Unfortunately, we forgot our Santa hats, so three band members were without. Fortunately, we have been able to add them using Photoshop!

Website designed created and maintained by Mel Hopkin

Musical Director : Mel Hopkin Email address: enquiries@holbeachtownband.org.uk Back Lane, Holbeach, Lincolnshire PE12 7LN (click for map)

Celebrating 40 years of Banding 1971 to 2011

Musical Director : Mel Hopkin

Email address: enquiries@holbeachtownband.org.uk

Back Lane, Holbeach, Lincolnshire PE12 7LN (click for map)