January 2012
Scarborough Workshop
The Choir's annual workshop was held, for the fifth successive year, at the Red Lea Hotel in Scarborough. This was Alan's first workshop with the Choir and, along with Anne, he worked hard to make sure we got a flying start on the new music. 'Angels', 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot' and 'I Will' were well rehearsed by the time we departed on Sunday afternoon. Of course, the weekend is not all about rehearsal. The vast majority of the Choir come to Scarborough and it's an opportunity to enjoy some hard socialising as well. Members made visits to various bars and cafes and we held our usual 'sing-a-thon' in the Highlander on Saturday evening.
We broke our return trip on Sunday afternoon with an informal concert at the Masonic Retirement Home in Fulford, York. Geoffrey Richardson, a resident of New Mill for an incredible 92 years, wove a fascinating personal biography illustrating how he was connected to the Choir through our joint relationships with former Choir President Edgar Dickinson and his Grandfather's founding of local butchers business Atkinson's, now run by our former Chairman John Mallinson. An incredulous few members were later priveledged to hear Geoffrey's account of his 'sale', as a two year old, by his Grandfather to a fellow drinker in a public house in Holmfirth. Fortunately, his irate Mother insisted on his re-purchase and his somewhat chastened Grandfather had to return to the pub and rescind the deal!