Proms in the Park

Our last fund-raiser of the year was in partnership with our friends from Hilltoppers Golf Society (of whom Past President John Hill is a key organiser) towards the Cystic Fibrosis project we have been working on all year.  Coincidental a similar event should have been my first engagement as Club President in July 2012, however the rainfall meant that the ground at Ratcliffe on Trent Golf Club was unsuitable and the concert had to be cancelled.  This year's event , by also falling on Saturday 29th June, was my last club engagement for the Rotary year 2012/13.

Newstead Welfare Brass Band were the guests for the evening and provided a varied programme of  pieces featuring the Beatles. ELO, Frank Sinatra and some Brass Band classics before the 'Last Night of the Proms' finale.

Euphonium soloist Lynden Cooper also acted as compere for the evening.  After the band had played their first number without any introduction, Lynden asked if there were any presidents of clubs present.  Mine was the only hand to be raised.  Lynden then went on to explain that the piece the Band had just played was a march entitled 'The President.'   I'm not sure whether it was really for my benefit!

The finale including all the rousing Prom favourites:  The Hornpipe, Jerusalem, Rule Britannia, Land of Hope & Glory.  An encore was called for so the Band played an arrangement of 'My Way' which, at various points, featured the flugel horn, tenor horn, euphonium and trombone players standing up to play the melody.  The final act of the night was the audience standing to sing the National Anthem accompanied by the Band.

The evening concert raised over £ 1,000 towards the new Cystic Fibrosis unit at the City Hospital, Nottingham.