Category: News

Jim Davies, Musical Director of Newstead Brass and his wonderful band, at only five days’ notice, kindly stepped in to support our annual concert and Forest Town Arena following the unfortunate news that our long-standing colleagues for this concert, Shirebrook Welfare Band were unable to join us. Sometimes, these things happen, and we are grateful to our concert secretary Lynden Lowe for managing the seamless transfer over to Newstead Brass Band.

We sang with energy and commitment under the inspired and sensitive leadership our MD Ian Grice, marvellously supported, as ever, by our wonderful accompanist Margaret Ball. The songs performed were a pleasing mix which fully represented our Christmas wishes. We also paid homage to lost loved ones in our choir family by singing “A Guardian Angel”, the English version of “Anfonaf Angel”.

The band produced an exciting performance including a perennial favourite the “Schnee Waltz” which brought light and fun to everyone in the room. Some choristers were to be seen dancing in the wings to the jazz classic Sing Sing Sing as we waited to come on in the second half.

The audience participated with gusto in the community carols bringing the true spirit of Christmas to the fore. It just shows that the power of music and sense of community cannot be weakened by the Covid enforced interval of nearly two years since our last public performance.

We are grateful to all those involved in arranging, preparing, performing and attending the concert for making it such a celebration of Christmas which shall remain with us for a long time.

As the title says – It’s Christmas Jim, just as we know it – a great night.

On 26th October our choir held a belated Annual General Meeting, belated in that we were due our annual AGM in April 2020, just as Covid 19 restrictions locked down all singing, entertaining and choir management for 18 months.

Our choir President, Mr. David Marriott, welcomed everyone to the meeting and began by saluting the passing of some choristers and Supporters’ Group members with respect and fond memories.
Our steadfast committee have done a great job in supporting the ongoing motivation of our members through personal contact, newsletters, social media and the occasional meeting in a controlled environment. The return to group activity has been carefully managed with everyone agreeing to and actively taking lateral flow tests before attending rehearsals.

Our Concert Manager, Lynden Lowe, has overcome the numerous and repeating difficulties of planning, arranging, and subsequently having to cancel and re arrange concerts which are usually planned up to 18 months in advance. We are excited to be staging two Christmas themed concerts in 2021, namely: –
• 12th December between 12noon and 2pm at Rufford Country Park in the courtyard.
• 16th December, our annual and famous concert with Shirebrook Welfare Band at 7.30pm at Forest Town Arena.

Our Treasurer, Eric Bexon, has successfully managed the accounts over two financial years keeping his experienced eye on and in control of all transactions and ensuring compliance with charity commission, insurance and legal requirements.

Our Secretary, Eileen Lawrence, prepared and promulgated newsletters and maintained contact with many other choir stakeholders.

Our Promotion and Publicity Officer, Geoff Mansfield has kept the website updated and collated and organised the choir archive into a book recording 75 years of the history of the choir.

Our Musical team, Director, Ian Grice, and Accompanist, Margaret Ball have reviewed our strengths, our repertoire and selected exciting new pieces of music and have successfully encouraged new members to join us.

Our Chairman, John Wakeland, was due to lead his first AGM in April 2020 and has managed the cohesion of the team and choristers over the last 18 months to make our AGM yesterday evening a positive and rewarding occasion. There were enthusiastic volunteers taking up committee roles, exciting concerts to look forward to, new members to envelop into our team and camaraderie, a sound financial basis and a choir eager to rehearse and perform.

This photograph shows Chairman John marking the contribution of Marilyn Mansfield to our choir Supporters’ Group. For the last few years Marilyn has led the team of ladies in arranging and delivering our important (for social cohesion and choir family atmosphere) social events and who have, since 2012, raised thousands of pounds in support of choir activities. John’s thanks were enthusiastically echoed by the choir applause as Marilyn hands over this important role to Julie Bexon who is also our Assistant Treasurer.

The AGM pointed to a bright future with us all brimming with optimism, confidence and expectation. It’s great to be back and if you would like to be part of it come along to a Tuesday evening rehearsal for 7.30pm at St Augustine’s Church on Abbot Road, Mansfield. You can be sure of a warm welcome!

Once again 2021 has seen the passing of another of our chorister family, Mr Brian Lister. Brian was a member of our second tenor section for about 10 years. He had wide experience of singing and had a fantastic vocal range being able to sing all four parts with little effort. A quiet man with hidden strengths and experience he will be missed for this ability and measured and pragmatic approach to life.

Brian originally hailed from Cumbria having been born in Carlisle in 1936. He attended a boarding school at St. Bees on the Cumbrian coast before achieving the rank of Second Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery. He taught Physical Education and was a keen skier and rugby player.
Brian began work for John Laing the international construction company when the company was a small local business. His career grew with the company leading Brain into managing major construction projects such as cathedrals, distilleries and hospitals which required him to travel a lot and live in on site caravans. He and his wife Rae and their three children Andrew, David and Katherine lived in Northern Ireland and Biggar in Scotland before settling back in Dalston in Cumbria. Whilst in Ireland Brian continued to be a keen rugby player playing for Carrickfergus. In the last ten years of his working life, he was a college lecturer and Carlisle Technical College passing on his building and management skills to the following generation.
Brain was a church warden at Dalston St Michael’s church and a member of Dalston Male Voice Choir.

When Rae passed away Brian eventually booked a Saga singles holiday on which he met Anne Hough. Anne and Brian became very good friends travelling together across the world and Brian subsequently moved to Edwinstowe. His love of male voice singing led him to Mansfield and District Male Voice Choir where he made a solid and reliable contribution to the sound of the choir and joined in with our adventures and shared experiences.

We salute you Brian for a well lived life and are reminded of you when we sing your favourite piece; You Raise Me Up.