£1000 raised at Church aid concert

St Thomas Church ablaze

A concert held to raise money for a Newhey church that was gutted by fire last year raised more than £1,000.

The fire devastated St Thomas's Church just before Christmas last year. The concert, held at Milnrow Cricket Club on Saturday (21 June), raised money for the church's fire restoration fund.

A capacity audience of parishioners, friends and well wishers welcomed the local Championship Section United Co-op Milnrow band which, under Musical Director (John Ward ), thrilled the gathering with a selection from its repertoire of brass band and other listenable “gems”.

Members of the Church thanked everyone for such a magnificent effort.

The band played items such as the marches “Mephistophiles” and “Army of the Nile” and such memorable hits as “Whiter Shade of Pale”, “Eleanor Rigby”, “I know him so well” (from the musical Chess), “Love changes Everything” and the Gershwin classic “Someone to watch over me”.

Rather less well known pieces such as “March of the Priests”, “Valero” and the theme from the film “Mask of Zorro” were also included.

Band soloists for the evening were Ben Wright (Euphonium) with “La Belle Americaine" and Joanne Ward (Flugel) who played “A Time for Peace”.

Solo items within the ensemble were undertaken by Louise Plant (Solo Cornet).

Sing along and other participation items included Irish Tune “Danny Boy”, ”Singing in the Rain”, and everyone was flying high when the band played “Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines”.

A rousing finish to proceedings was created by Last Night at the Proms items “Jerusalem”, and “Pomp and Circumstance” with “Floral Dance" as the “curtain call”.

During the evening the results of a raffle was announced and thanks were voiced to the Milnrow Cricket Club and Committee for raffle prizes and free use of the room and also to the Band Committee for providing the services of United Co-op Milnrow Band free of charge.

The band is booked to perform a concert on Independence Day this Friday (4 July) in Leeds, sharing the programme with the James Madison University Band, visiting from Harrisonburg,USA.

This weekend the band is scheduled to make a CD recording in Huddersfield.