Newsletter, Autumn 2010
Welcome to the first edition of the Haverfordwest Ladies Choir newsletter. The past twelve months have been very busy for the choir.
On 27th November we performed a very successful concert at Llandewi Velfry Hall, raising money for the Paul Sartori foundation. The soloist for the concert was soprano Lisa Jones from Whitland.
On the 5th December we were invited to entertain visitors at Bluestone with a Carol Concert, where our MD encouraged the younger children to join with us in singing Away in a Manger!
The 11th December gave us an opportunity to have a group picture taken when we performed our annual Christmas Concert at St. Mary's Church, Haverfordwest. We welcomed several of our sponsors and patrons to join us for mulled wine and mince pies following this concert and were delighted to see so many of you. Over the years, the monies we have raised through our concerts at St Mary's Church have helped various projects of restoration within the Church.
Our final performance for 2009 was on the 16th December when we sang at Blaenmarlais, a residential home for the elderly. Blaenmarlais invites us several times during the year and after our performance we enjoy a chat with the residents while we partake of refreshments generously provided by Blaenmarlais.
Following this concert our members took their Christmas break and enjoyed a well-earned rest before resuming rehearsals in early January.
Our 2010 concerts began on the 5th February at Hermon Chapel, Fishguard, with a Christian Aid concert for Haiti. This was a very well supported evening for such a needy cause. The choir was supported by violinists Angharad Williams and Tony Morris.
On the 19th March we held an evening concert at Robeston Wathen Church, raising funds for this Church. Soloists for this concert were the choir's own Marian Graceson and her daughter Abigail.
The 1st June saw us returning to Blaenmarlais to entertain the residents once more.
On the 19th June we held a fundraising Summer Fête for the choir at the home of Margaret Davies, one of our members from Hook. We had a fabulous array of stalls and were very pleased to welcome so many friends, family and supporters of the choir. Standing on Margaret's patio on a wonderfully sunny but very windy day and struggling to keep our music pages intact, we sang for those at our garden party. Nancy, our MD, was very thankful for the clothes pegs from Margaret's kitchen to help keep her music on its stand! We had wonderful support in the form of raffle prizes from many of our sponsors, thank you all so much.
July was a very busy month for us: on the1st July we sang at The Murray Suite in Milford Haven entertaining the members of the Stroke Association. Following this we performed a concert at St. John's Church in Tenby on the 13th July and a second concert on the 16th July at St. Mary's in Haverfordwest, where we provided the entertainment for one of their weekly Friday lunchtime fundraising events.
De Clare Court, a residential home for the elderly at Merlin's Bridge, invited us to sing at their Summer Fête on the 17th July. On a lovely sunny day, we sang outside, sharing the 'stage' with several other groups, watched over by many of the residents. We joined in with their day, purchasing from their stalls and partaking of some of the delicious foods prepared for that day and a good time was had by all. Following this very busy week the choir took its summer break, giving us a chance to rest our vocal chords and recharge our batteries!
We resumed rehearsals mid-September and entertained the residents of Ridgeway Nursing Home at Llawhaden with an afternoon concert on the 29th September.
Penally Community Hall Committee invited us to sing for them on the 22nd October for a community event. This was a very enjoyable evening that raised funds for the hall as well as bringing together friends of the community with entertainment of solos and with the Penally Carol Choir joining us for some favourite songs. The latest song that we had learnt, Big Spender was a big hit and we received excellent comments on our performance of this song!
We are really pleased when organisations, communities and churches invite us to help them to raise funds and especially when residential care homes invite us to entertain their residents. After performing our concerts we often enjoy refreshments and a cup of tea is always welcome!
Sandra Davies
