Fun Of The Fair

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Neighbours! Everybody needs good neighbours… so the lyrics to the Aussie soap opera tell us. London may not have a sun-drenched backdrop, but the city’s neighbourhoods are important environments, that are cultural and distinct, created by the human spirit and the will to connect.

However, sometimes, with our busy lives, we lose sight of the glue that holds us together. Which is where the charity, Fulham Good Neighbours, happily steps in. For more than 50 years, it’s been bringing this Fulham community together, with volunteers to support, whether caring for the elderly, doing a bit of gardening or DIY, shopping, looking after a pet and a lot more.

Raising funds is the main part of what they do, in order to support everyone who needs help in this community – and one event is the highlight of the year: the Parsons Green Fair.

For one day the neighbourhood is transformed into a traditional fete, inviting more than 8,000 visitors, with more than 100 stalls selling local goods and fairground attractions. The main stage includes acting and dance performances, promising a great vibe, whatever the weather!

The event is on Saturday, 7th July, 11.30am until 5.30pm, and is free. You can get involved by holding a stall, volunteering your time as a marshal or just turning up and having fun.

Visit www.parsonsgreenfair.org

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Military music

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Sarah Readings explains more about one of the lesser-known aspects of the Royal Air Force Music Service; the RAF Voluntary Band Association

Music is, and always has been, an important part of our nation’s military heritage. It has long played an essential role in military affairs, from the war carnyx that roused the ancient Celts to war, via the drums and trumpets of Roman Legions, to the bugle call that signals the lowering of the RAF ensign at sunset. Music lifts the spirits, helps keep a parade in step and encourages a sense of comradeship. Military music is a tradition in which the Voluntary Bands (VBs) of the Royal Air Force have proudly participated for a century.

In April 1918 when the Royal Air Force formed from the union of the Royal Naval Air Services and the Royal Flying Corps, musicians of the two services, augmented by fresh recruits, united to form the first RAFVBs. Funding emerged, including donations from officers. The men who flocked to volunteer came from a variety of musical traditions – brass bands, military bands, pipe bands and corps of drums – and their skills covered all manner of instruments. Some were experienced, others were hobbyists.

Soon after the Voluntary Bands began, the Air Ministry received a report calling for the inauguration of a School of Music to be staffed by a team of 50 band instructors. The Air Ministry agreed, only to reconsider when the dust of the Great War settled to reveal enormous debts. In 1920, amid loud arguments from the Army and the Navy that the RAF itself was no longer necessary, the infant RAF School of Music was disbanded. Happily, the RAF Central Band stepped in and supplied a succession of excellent Voluntary Band Instructors (VBIs).

In the 1920s and 1930s, VBs flourished: many RAF stations, both at home and overseas, had their own band and some of the larger ones worked with the RAF Central Band. Many more bands were established as the Second World War drew thousands more people into uniform and the number of RAF bases and personnel increased. A great number of new recruits of all trades had, in civilian life, been keen musicians, whether professional or amateur, and they rejoiced in the opportunity to continue banding while dressed in RAF blue. Even after the war ended, some of them stayed on in the Service and formed professional ensembles as part of the RAF Music Services.

In 1949, the RAF School of Music reopened and offered a bandmaster’s course which produced some marvellous VBIs, mainly Warrant Officers and Flight Sergeants, who guided the various bands for another three decades. By the mid-1970s, 24 bandmaster posts existed at RAF stations both in the UK and overseas.

Today’s RAF Voluntary Bands are led by fully qualified, experienced bandmasters who are the only paid members of the VBs: all other bandsmen and women are willing volunteers.

One of the welcome results of the formation of the RAFVBA is increasing collaboration among the bands. Over the past few years a number of prestigious massed band events have been staged, highlights being a concert at Symphony Hall in Birmingham in 2008 to celebrate 90 years of the Royal Air Force; a commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Spitfire in Leicester in 2011 and a showcase concert in Cardiff in 2016. For amateur musicians these massed band events are an opportunity to participate in high-profile and prestigious concerts and enhance our feelings of pride in the Voluntary Band Association and its place in the modern music service.

Now for a more personal perspective – as a proud member of RAF Halton Area Voluntary Band, I have enhanced my musical life and improved my musical skills. I have strong links to the Armed Forces; both of my grandfathers served in WWI in the Australian and British Armies, my father served in the Australian Army in WWII and two of my brothers served in the British Army for years. I married into an RAF family; my mother-in-law was ex-WRAF and my father-in-law a Squadron Leader in the RAF. After his death my mother-in-law remarried a Wing Commander in the RAF. I have a nephew serving at RAF Benson as Puma ground support and another nephew has recently left the Royal Marines after many years’ service, including Iraq and several tours of Afghanistan.

Military tradition and its ethos of service and dedication has formed a backdrop to my life and in a very small way I am able to continue that. As a mature amateur musician, who came late to playing a brass instrument, I was able to learn a new skill and gain an insight into the world of military music. For me, a particular highlight is our participation in the annual Service of Remembrance held by the War Widows Association of Great Britain in Whitehall on the Saturday preceding Armistice Sunday. There is no greater sense of pride than marching to our national memorial, the Cenotaph, and participating in this moving event and supporting women who have suffered the ultimate loss in the protection of our country.

There are advantages to being a civilian member – I for one never thought I would learn to stand on a drill square and start working out my left foot and right foot and then be expected to march, play, stay in step, follow the right direction and not end up facing the opposite way to my comrades in the band. In conclusion, while membership of an RAF Voluntary Band does require commitment and either an understanding of, or a willingness to learn and embrace service discipline, in return you are part of an organisation that can widen your musical experience much more than is usually possible in a civilian alternative.

For more information, please visit www.haltonvoluntaryband.co.uk

It will be pilots on parade this month, as the RAF100 Roadshow reaches Horse Guards Parade, 6th – 9th July as part of the centenary year. On display will be aircraft from all through their history, including; Royal Aircraft Factory BE2c Biplane, Supermarine Spitfire MkXVI, Gloster Meteor F4 (the actual aircraft that captured the world air speed record of 616 mph in 1946), Harrier GR3, Tornado GR1, DC3 Dakota and a Chinook Helicopter. As well as the past, the RAF will also be looking to the future with an interactive STEM/Techno Zone and learn more about how they’re creating the next generation Air Force. After the Roadshow at Horse Guards there will also be a flypast and parade on 10th July. Visit www.raf.mod.uk

With grateful thanks to Mrs Mary Mackie, for her assistance with this article and her research into and words on the history of the RAF VBA. Mrs Mary Mackie, Author & Speaker, Kings Lynn, Norfolk.

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Driving force

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Oxford teacher David Johnson has a racing start with his art, catching the eyes of his driving heroes Sir Stirling Moss and Sir Jackie Stewart

Even from a young age David has always had a fascination of Formula One. After initially watching the sport on television, David attended his first Grand Prix at Silverstone in 1997. What began as an interest evolved into a true passion.

As a child he was always found tinkering in the garage with his granddad, building and restoring all types of products. This hands-on approach built the foundations for an enjoyable journey under the umbrella of design and technology at school. St Augustine’s in Oxford provided many exciting opportunities for students to take part in D&T projects. Under the eyes of his teachers, Mr Rose and Mr Humphreys, David remained drawn to F1 and was encouraged to get closer to the sport. His fondest memory is of the Formula Schools club that saw a team of students design, build, and race a remote control car around a small track at Silverstone.

When leaving school, as a hobby, David started to create paintings depicting some of Formula One’s greats. His first was of Jim Clark racing at Silverstone. Curiously, David decided to sell the painting that gained much interest and realised he could be on to something. As time passed this hobby grew, as did his career. He was now a teacher at St Gregory the Great Catholic School. Always aiming to get closer to the sport, he ran many exciting extra-curricular trips and activities, including Formula Schools which gained much success and recognition. He also organised trips to Formula One events and even took a group of students to Sir Stirling Moss’s home to meet the legend himself.

Throughout this time he strived to apply more focus on artwork and developing his style. It was at this point he contacted Sir Stirling Moss.

Back in 2008 he had sent a letter to Sir Stirling Moss, explaining the desire to create a painting of one of Sir Stirling’s favourite cars, with the hope he would sign the prints. In just a matter of days he received an envelope through the post with the initials SM on the reverse! On the response Moss showed a keen interest having viewed David’s previous artwork, and was happy to discuss his favourite racing cars over the phone.

With the decision of which scene to paint made, David began working on the 1956 Monaco Grand Prix with Sir Stirling Moss leading the pack in his Maserati 250F, holding off Juan Manuel Fangio to secure his first victory at the Principality. In just over a month, he had completed this art piece and it was ready to print. It was then one of David’s proudest moments, as he had journeyed to the home of the personality he’d read about and admired as one of his favourite drivers. Sir Stirling Moss hand signed a number of limited-edition prints and posed for a photograph, and the sense of achievement was great.

From this point he was on the motor sport map. He was approached by motoring publications asking to display his work and exhibited at a number of shows. As he continued to still develop and perfect his skills he had worked with other racing greats along the way including John Surtees, Jody Scheckter and Sir Jackie Stewart, just to name a few. He found himself returning to see Sir Stirling Moss regularly for the breakfast signing slot. Sir Stirling could also see David’s talents grow and wrote to him encouraging him to always follow his passion.

David has started a clean chapter with a new challenge; the palette knife. He has swapped his fine grade brushes with great success and has applied a fresh new look, still with an eye for detail. This modern approach has drawn great interest through social media, and will see him attending the Grand Prix Ball and British Grand Prix where he will be exhibiting and live-painting.

Driver signings continue. In April of this year David proudly met once again Sir Jackie Stewart, this time with a palette knife painting for signing. This was unlike anything Sir Jackie had seen before on canvas as he was astonished by the artwork. The painting is now due to be auctioned in Monaco to raise funds for Race Against Dementia.

David continues to develop his skills with a focus on capturing the excitement and atmosphere of the race. Through his art he hopes to meet and work with many more drivers in the future and leave a lasting impact on the artwork within the motor sport sector.

Please visit David’s website to view more of his work at www.formulaart.co.uk

  • Artist David Johnson
  • Sir Jackie Stewart
  • Sir Jackie Stewart signing artwork
  • Sir Sterling Moss with artist David Johnson

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Flying high with Alice Marshall

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Peter Anderson chats to Alice Marshall, winner of the Brighton Fringe Best Comedy Award ahead of her shows this month.

Alice Marshall has won plaudits for her weird and wonderful characters, including bold and brassy Hispanic air stewardess Maria, once dubbed “the angriest woman in the skies”. Now she’s welcoming the Farnham audience on board for their 50-minute, non-stop flight into the Twilight Zone.

So, I want to ask Alice, where do the ideas for your characters come from?

“My characters come from all over the place. Some of them are heightened versions of different aspects of my own personality, some of them are based on people I’ve met in real life, and some of them are coping mechanisms I’ve invented to help me get through difficult situations. I came up with the main character in my new show, Maria the air hostess, to help me deal with my intense fear of flying. By turning myself into her, I can sometimes convince myself I’m not going to die at 30,000 ft.”

What can visitors expect from this show?

“My shows are something a little out of the ordinary. The characters are incredibly varied, and the concept of the show is also a little unusual… it  won’t be like anything you’ve seen before.”

Is there a place or venue you would really love to perform?

“As both a comedian and an actor there’s definitely a part of me that finds traditional West End theatres completely magical. I would love to do a show in one of them one day – The Apollo on Shaftesbury Avenue is my favourite; it’s spectacular. That would be a dream come true…”

Comedy can be a tough gig – one you are excelling at with flying colours! What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever had to help counter the nerves?

“Always look towards your next show; never get hung up on what you’ve just done. Whether a performance has gone brilliantly or terribly, it doesn’t matter. Don’t weigh your self worth based on what an audience thinks! If they love you, don’t get carried away. If they hate you, don’t let it affect what you do. It’s not about you, it’s about the work you’re making and that has to be all that matters.”

Alice Marshall will perform at Norden Farm Centre For The Arts on Thursday, 5th July; visit Norden Farm or call 01628 788997 and on Saturday, 14th July; visit  Cutty Sark Theatre or call 020 8312 6608 to book. Also visit www.alicemarshall.co.uk

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Level best

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Jonathan Lovett chats to Mark Chadwick of seminal band The Levellers ahead of their tour

Places such as Windsor, Eton, Ascot and Henley-on-Thames are beautiful,” enthuses Mark, “and we love our heritage – you can tell from the name of the band! We are contradictory; we have Tory-voting fans as well as lots of left-leaning ones…”

I’d just asked the lead singer of The Levellers if they are as happy playing more overtly “posh” areas such as the above which may not be the natural fanbase of a left-wing band named after a radical 17th-century democracy movement.

But Mark is nothing if not egalitarian and, combined with a passion for history, makes for the kind of stimulating interviewee who can quite easily fall into conversation about the Putney Debates of 1647!

“These were forced by the Levellers and paved the way for many of the civil liberties we value today,” he adds. “They were the first to talk to people as equals and the debates were a platform for common people within the context of the time. I wonder whether we need a modern Putney Debate today?”

Politics has always figured strongly in the work of The Levellers who celebrate their 30th anniversary year with a tour and the release of a new album, We The Collective. But they would never have been able to have preached to so many people if it was not for their wonderfully catchy tunes and sing-alongs which turned them into one of the most popular indie bands of the 1990s.

Indeed, they were so popular that the band still hold the record for playing to the biggest crowd Glastonbury has ever seen when an estimated 300,000-plus people saw them headline the Pyramid Stage in 1994.

“It was bizarre looking out into that crowd because it was so big,” says Mark. “It was terrifying and afterwards I had the worst stomach cramps I’ve ever had in my life because of this massive delayed nervous anxiety! I do look back with affection on those times and still get people coming up to me all the time going, ‘You helped change my life’, which is great.”

Still relevant and still challenging the status quo, We The Collective is the band’s highest-charting album entry in 21 years and features new arrangements of old classics such as Liberty Song and Hope Street alongside new songs such as Drug Bust McGee. “That’s about the subject of undercover police which is something we’ve experienced several times over the years,” adds Mark. “We’ve also been investigated and infiltrated by Special Branch and MI5 but we are no threat to society… the whole point of The Levellers is that we promote society!”

The Levellers play The Anvil in Basingstoke on Friday, 13th July. Visit www.levellers.co.uk

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Stomach acid is crucial for health

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Stomach acid is not a design flaw of the body (which is often how it is portrayed), but is, in fact, crucial for optimal health and wellbeing. Without appropriate levels of stomach acid, the whole digestive process starts off on the wrong foot. Proteins need to be broken down into their component parts (amino acids) for efficient absorption further down the digestive tract and stomach acid is essential for this process to happen efficiently. The efficient absorption of vitamin B12 and minerals is also dependent on sufficient levels of stomach acid. B12 is crucial for energy production, mental/nerve function and cardio-vascular health. Typical symptoms that might suggest less than optimal levels of stomach acid include bloating, cramping, gas/belching shortly after a meal, reflux/heartburn, parasitic and yeast infections, feeling tired after a meal, problems digesting animal protein, nausea, bad breath, skin problems, undigested food in stools, increased susceptibility to food poisoning, rectal itching, IBS, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, food sensitivities and weak fingernails. If you suspect that you might have suboptimal levels of stomach acid, the following actions may well help: consume ginger and sauerkraut, avoid drinking large amounts of fluid just before and after eating a meal, eat smaller meals, consume the largest meal of the day when you are the least stressed, chew your food thoroughly, sit down and take your time to eat and consider taking a ‘food state’ multi vitamin and mineral supplement, using digestive bitters (natural stomach acid stimulants) and the use of very specific stomach acid supplementation. Please note that if you are taking any medications or have any significant health concerns, it is essential that you work with a suitably qualified health practitioner/doctor before taking any supplementation. Call Mark BSc (Hons) BA (Hons) mBANT CNHC on 0118 321 9533 or visit www.entirewellbeing.com

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Heart to heart

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Rufus Wainwright, musician, dad and all-round superstar, chats to Rachel Wakefield ahead of his UK & world tour

Rufus Wainwright has sung jazz with Robbie Williams; crooned ballads with George Michael; created dance music with Mark Ronson; sung Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah to The Queen, and, if further approval were needed, Elton John has stated: “He’s the greatest songwriter on this planet.”

Rufus has also been gifted with a rich musical heritage: he’s the son of acclaimed folk singers Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle, and is brother to musicians Martha Wainwright, Lucy Wainwright Roche and Sloan Wainwright.

So, you might expect this American-Canadian singer-songwriter to be somewhat aloof. He’s not. “Oh, I’m the biggest prima donna when it comes to the recording studio,” he exclaims, but on stage, you’re only as good as your last performance. I’m excited to be coming to the UK,” “I have a special core fanbase here who follow me from concert to concert. It’s all very innocent.”

Rufus has recorded eight albums of original music and numerous film soundtracks. His work ranges from melody-driven pop to highbrow opera to piano torch songs to super eccentric stuff, even setting Shakespeare sonnets to music. “Oh, I frustrate! Marketing can’t put me in a box!” laughs Rufus, who is 44. “At my age, I’m no longer flavour of the month. And besides, when I try and pose for pubicity shots, well it’s a disaster: what I think is sexy and sultry, I often look angry and confused.”

Rufus is very driven. “With music, it’s the melodies that remain, not the personalities,” he states. “You listen to hundred-year-old operas, and they are fresh and present. This is my aim. Never to be defined by the media , always the music. I believe this has been my saving grace. My voice is too unique and my musical sensibilities are too sophisticated to capture. So, my ability to evade capture, has captured my audience’s loyalty.”

For his All The Poses, 20th Anniversary Tour, Rufus has picked 11 dates for the UK. With just a handful of dates, you do have to wonder if there is an ulterior motive to the choice of venues, which begin at Basingstoke’s The Anvil moving to Kenwood house, London, with a few smaller venues, including Whitley Bay and Bexhill-on-Sea.

The short visit may have something to do with being a dad to his seven-year-old daughter, Viva, whom he co-parents with childhood friend Lorca, the daughter of Leonard Cohen. But, Rufus reveals: “I’m writing an opera about Britain, which will be published in October, it’s got Romans and Celtics and that’s all I can tell.” He gushingly adds: “I love the nomadic differences with each town here. The mystical qualities of the landscape awestruck me as a child, touring with my father. I get lost in ancient dreams at every turn.”

Please visit www.rufuswainwright.com

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By Royal Approval

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Anne Denholm, Official Harpist to HRH Prince of Wales will perform one of Mozart’s most popular works for Grayshott Concerts on Friday, 15th June.

The harp is an important national instrument in Wales, and although the role of Official Harpist to the Royal Household, was discontinued during the reign of Queen Victoria. HRH Prince of Wales restored the position in 2000 in order to foster and encourage young musical talent.

The Prince of Wales has a £150,000 gold leaf harp, made by Italian harp makers Salvi Harps. It is this harp that is used by the official harpist, who is currently Anne Denholm, the sixth Royal Harpist. Her recent role was to keep the guests entertained during the Royal Wedding last month.

But you can have your very, own special performance with Anne, at St Luke’s Church, Grayshott, this month, on Friday, 15th June. She will perform Mozart’s Flute and Harp Concerto with award-winning flautist Emma Halnan, winner of the Arts Club-Sir Karl Jenkins-Classic FM Competition in 2016.

Patron, Sir Karl Jenkins, says: “This concert brings a number of strands together. The harp is particularly dear to my heart, so it’s a pleasure to see Mozart’s Concerto performed in Grayshott by Anne and Emma.

The programme will also include Debussy’s Dances Sacred and Profane for Harp and Strings, composed in 1904, accompanied by Grayshott Concerts’ orchestra-in-residence, the illustrious London Mozart Players. Also featured in the programme will be Britten’s Prelude and Fugue and Mozart’s Divertimento in D.

Tickets and more information at www.grayshottconcerts.co.uk.

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A good innings

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Home with Gareth Malone

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We chat to Gareth Malone, whose favourite hobbies are singing – and would happily sing ‘Yesterday’ everyday – and unwinds by ice skating!

Q. How long have you been singing for and how did you get into it?
“I’ve been singing since I was a toddler and my mother sang to me. I joined a school choir at the age of seven and have sung ever since.”

Q. What led to you present The Choir?
“I ran a local community choir at St Luke’s near the Barbican, which was one of the outreach projects run by the LSO (London Symphony Orchestra). Ana de Moraes, then at Twenty Twenty TV, was looking for a choirmaster for a new BBC series. She called Amy Armstrong at the LSO who fortunately recommended me. Luckily due to the success of the first series, it was immediately commissioned for another series and has continued.”

Q. Do you think people’s view on choir singing has changed? “Having something on BBC2 gives people the chance to see what’s going on which might otherwise be considered as quite niche, such as singing or baking.”

Q. How was it being a judge on Pitch Battle?
“Really fun. I’m not afraid of telling people what I think and I loved working with Kelis.”

Q. How do you do to relax?
“I play jazz piano and ice skate.”

Q. Any plans for the rest of the year?
“Very excited about more tour dates and filming for BBC.”

Q. If you were only ever allowing to sing just one song for the rest of your days, what would it be?
“Yesterday by The Beatles.”

Visit www.garethmalone.com

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