Appearances - 2024
Were you there? - have you got any comments or pickies for any of the appearances below? if so, please let us know using WUC FaceBook
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21/07/24 Bilford Court
HI all,
The angels up in heaven threw their harps down, in despair,
The skylarks, blithely singing, all fell silent in the air.
The Lorelei cut short her song and wished that she'd been there
When the Wuccies went to play at Bilford Court!
No group of players e'er before had sung songs quite so sweet
Nor shown on ukuleles such mastery complete.
The crowd, impressed, joined in with song and even tapped their feet!
Yes! The Wuccies all done good, that's what I thought!
That's enough of the poetry (!) and hyperbole! Many, many thanks to the 15 Wuccies who responded to my plaintive plea a couple of weeks ago and came along to play at Bilford Court, where they were holding a fund-raising event to help finance their Christmas festivities. The gig was supposed to be outside, but we took the decision to set up inside, even though it wasn't raining at the time. This turned out to be a good move, as it chucked it down when we were three-quarters through our session!
We had an appreciative audience, who sang along, played the percussion instruments with gusto and clapped at all the right times and in all the right places! Dennis, the organiser, was delighted with the way things went and was very grateful to us. There was a gig fee of £50.00, but, as it was a fund-raiser for their Christmas parties, we agreed not to take a bucket along. However, several of the residents came up to me at the end and gave me money for our charity. Having got home and counted the fee and the donations, I made a payment of £105.08 into the club funds. It should have been £105.00, but I suffered a bout of FFS (Fat Finger Syndrome) and hit a wrong key by mistake and didn't spot the error until it was too late!
Bilford Court are holding another fund-raising event on 24th August, at which all the monies raised will come to WUC for our charity. I'm sure it will be as much fun as this one was. There are places to fill, so get on to Muzodo!
Thanks to Bilford Court resident and fellow-Wuccie Roger for the photo. (I think we were playing a piece by Liszt - or just list - when he took it!
Also, my personal thanks to Colin TY for agreeing at short notice to share the leading and to everyone else for their support.
Cheers
Trevor
The angels up in heaven threw their harps down, in despair,
The skylarks, blithely singing, all fell silent in the air.
The Lorelei cut short her song and wished that she'd been there
When the Wuccies went to play at Bilford Court!
No group of players e'er before had sung songs quite so sweet
Nor shown on ukuleles such mastery complete.
The crowd, impressed, joined in with song and even tapped their feet!
Yes! The Wuccies all done good, that's what I thought!
That's enough of the poetry (!) and hyperbole! Many, many thanks to the 15 Wuccies who responded to my plaintive plea a couple of weeks ago and came along to play at Bilford Court, where they were holding a fund-raising event to help finance their Christmas festivities. The gig was supposed to be outside, but we took the decision to set up inside, even though it wasn't raining at the time. This turned out to be a good move, as it chucked it down when we were three-quarters through our session!
We had an appreciative audience, who sang along, played the percussion instruments with gusto and clapped at all the right times and in all the right places! Dennis, the organiser, was delighted with the way things went and was very grateful to us. There was a gig fee of £50.00, but, as it was a fund-raiser for their Christmas parties, we agreed not to take a bucket along. However, several of the residents came up to me at the end and gave me money for our charity. Having got home and counted the fee and the donations, I made a payment of £105.08 into the club funds. It should have been £105.00, but I suffered a bout of FFS (Fat Finger Syndrome) and hit a wrong key by mistake and didn't spot the error until it was too late!
Bilford Court are holding another fund-raising event on 24th August, at which all the monies raised will come to WUC for our charity. I'm sure it will be as much fun as this one was. There are places to fill, so get on to Muzodo!
Thanks to Bilford Court resident and fellow-Wuccie Roger for the photo. (I think we were playing a piece by Liszt - or just list - when he took it!
Also, my personal thanks to Colin TY for agreeing at short notice to share the leading and to everyone else for their support.
Cheers
Trevor
20/07/24 Great Malvern Farmer's Market
Hi Everyone, What an absolutely splendid morning was had at the Malvern Farmer’s Market today. Moved from our normal position and put under a tree, we wondered what it would be like but in fact, it turned out to be a good decision by the organisers. There was space for folk to stop and stare, dance a little, applaud a lot and contribute to our bucket! Big thank you to Kate for ‘bucketeering' today and special mention to a rhythm section of John Hi and a friend from Malvern Ukes, Yvonne, who played percussion throughout. The two of them really gave a great platform. Never seen before was Yvonne’s use of the corner poles on the gazebo!! Thank you to Joan and Jean for hand-jiving 'At The Hop’.
So here we are below and didn’t they do well? Good banter, laughs and playing throughout, a credit to WUC! Joan , Dave Su, Frank, Eileen , Jean, John Hi, Jan S, John He, Liz, Jan W, Ken, Brian, Ian, Peter G, David H, Steve H (unpacking uke!!) and Nick. Picture courtesy of Ian’s partner Linnie and there will be video when it comes to FaceBook!
So here we are below and didn’t they do well? Good banter, laughs and playing throughout, a credit to WUC! Joan , Dave Su, Frank, Eileen , Jean, John Hi, Jan S, John He, Liz, Jan W, Ken, Brian, Ian, Peter G, David H, Steve H (unpacking uke!!) and Nick. Picture courtesy of Ian’s partner Linnie and there will be video when it comes to FaceBook!
There’s more!! To the players, 'Kate the Bucket’ passed on lots of compliments from the shoppers and at the end the organiser caught me as we were racing to the Waitrose car park (3 hour limit!). He was extremely pleased with our performance, engagement with the Market crowd, promotion of our Spectrum Days charity and also their decision on the location. Therefore it is with great pride that we pass the baton, our excellent reputation and the new position under a tree onto Trevor, Elaine and Tom. Good luck!
Oh, and in the bucket was an impressive £98.73 which Jean and I have topped up to send £100 to Spectrum Days. Regards John He
Oh, and in the bucket was an impressive £98.73 which Jean and I have topped up to send £100 to Spectrum Days. Regards John He
18/07/24 St Paul's Church Worcester
Hi Everyone, A very big thank you and well done to the Wuccies who were a credit to the club this lunchtime. A big crowd joined the happy crew to sing, shake/bang percussion instruments and dance a bit as well. Big thank you to ‘bucketeer’ John M, ‘Hand-Jivers' Joan and Jean, Ian for playing bass and Jane Br for jumping in ‘WUCwaters’ and playing her first gig!. A generous £79.37 brings Spectrum Days a total of £129.37 and a repeat booking for us. All in all fun, banter and smiles ruled the day as usual. Normally you would see a glossy photo of those mentioned above, plus Colin TY, Brian, Peter S, Ann, Rick, David A, Shirley, Maureen, Maggie, Liz, Michael, and Malcolm. However it is still at Boots being developed, so use your imagination!! See some of you at Malvern Market on Saturday. The fun never stops!
13/07/24 Astwood Bank Carnival
Many thanks to the band who played today at Astwood Bank in the carnival procession. I think that we all agreed that musically, it was not the greatest occasion. In previous years we have been separated from the loudest parts of the procession but today we were close behind a very large articulated lorry playing amplified recorded music very loudly. The only thing between us and the lorry were a troupe of wrestlers who would occasionally stop to throw each other about. They then caught up with the lorry and the marshall then hassled us to keep up, not so easy when pulling the bass cart. To add to our troubles, Geoff's bass malfunctioned, leaving us to watch Trev's lips for the timing! However, we made it to the end, having sung and played our 5 songs numerous times. Thanks to everyone for staying the course, thanks to Trev for leading, to me for pulling the bass cart, John Hi for lending us his bass cart and amplifier and last but not least, to Trev's German friend, Konrad for vigorously shaking the collecting bucket (proceeds to The Astwood Bank Carnival fund for local charities). Despite my best efforts, we did not get a prize for our cart and turnout this year. The competition was very tough but I think that the real problem was design, based on a Boeing plane and made of cardboard, duct tape and plumbing pipes. Now if we'd used an Airbus design, things might have been different. Attached is pic. of the band and "aircart". Our reward for all of the above.....£250 gig fee, so Spectrum Days come out the winners, after all. Thanks again and best wishes to all. Allan.
No matter what, you guys looked absolutely amazing. Well done all of you, and thank you Allan for a hilarious documentary of your experience of processing an airbus whilst playing, singing and marching. The WUC reputation lives on - Virginia
Hi all, one of the photos is courtesy of my German exchange partner from 1969, who is over here to soak up some British culture. Can it ever get more cultured than a group of ukulele players parading through the streets of Astwood Bank? Cheers Trevor
10/07/24 Sight Concern Wednesday Afternoon Club
What a receptive audience greeted our performance today. Applause after EVERY number...
I knew my team could cope with anything but that included my crazy count-in when we rattled through 'Obladi' at a record rate ..... and I mean FAST!
Their diction was impeccable and we all finished spot on the last beat. WOW..... What troupers.
(Mind you we were all in need of oxygen afterwards).
John M. my co-conspirator raised the roof (vocally of course) when he gift-wrapped the 'Sweet Caroline' anthem with a mention of tonight's England match.
Dave S. brought a tear to the eye with his soulful intro to Runaround Sue ......
We raised a total of £152.10p inc booking fee and an immediate repeat booking for this time next year.
That's what I call a result and I want to thank my fantastic supporters every single one.
I knew my team could cope with anything but that included my crazy count-in when we rattled through 'Obladi' at a record rate ..... and I mean FAST!
Their diction was impeccable and we all finished spot on the last beat. WOW..... What troupers.
(Mind you we were all in need of oxygen afterwards).
John M. my co-conspirator raised the roof (vocally of course) when he gift-wrapped the 'Sweet Caroline' anthem with a mention of tonight's England match.
Dave S. brought a tear to the eye with his soulful intro to Runaround Sue ......
We raised a total of £152.10p inc booking fee and an immediate repeat booking for this time next year.
That's what I call a result and I want to thank my fantastic supporters every single one.
06/07/24 Fladbury Walkabout
Hello, all, A big thank you to the 17 players who came out to play at Fladbury on Saturday 6th July. We had a huge gazebo that we turned into an outdoor theatre by bringing some chairs in out of the rain to provide a playing space and a listening/lunch-eating space. Nobody used the audience space for the first 29 minutes as it was raining, and there were very few people about. Then the rain stopped and the people came and several stopped, sat, listened and clapped - although that might just have been to keep warm.
The gig fee was £200, so worth getting damp for. Although we didn't officially have a bucket, there was one there, which was spotted by an audience member, and the upshot was that there was £13.00 in it by the end of our second set. Thanks to all who turned up and to Nick who co-led his very first gig with Trevor. Elaine stood next to him to help but wasn’t needed much, as he did a good job! It always rains when Elaine plays at Fladbury so we're considering not allowing her to go again!
Elaine, Nick and Trevor (Photos courtesy of Geoff)
The gig fee was £200, so worth getting damp for. Although we didn't officially have a bucket, there was one there, which was spotted by an audience member, and the upshot was that there was £13.00 in it by the end of our second set. Thanks to all who turned up and to Nick who co-led his very first gig with Trevor. Elaine stood next to him to help but wasn’t needed much, as he did a good job! It always rains when Elaine plays at Fladbury so we're considering not allowing her to go again!
Elaine, Nick and Trevor (Photos courtesy of Geoff)
30/06/24 Upton Jazz Festival
Hi Everyone, A very big thank you and well done for the 20 Wuccies who were a credit to the club this afternoon. Down by the river we were and we did our bit (and more) to advance Jazz in the town. Such classics as Amarillo, Urban Spaceman, Cleaning ‘Winders’ plus lots of medleys kept the cognoscenti happy, if not puzzled! Big thank you to ‘bucketeer’ Anne who did a marvellous job and added £59.45 to the fee of £75 generously brought to us by ‘booker Jon’, no MGs!!! All in all fun, banter and smiles ruled the day. Thanks again all.
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Super little video taken by Tracey (Shirley's sister) at the Upton Jazz Festival...
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28/06/24 Emma's Ball
Hi all, Well, when I first bought a ukulele all those years ago, little did I realise, at the time, the range of opportunities and experiences that would come my way as a result of having purchased such a simple little instrument. One such experience certainly came our way on Friday evening, when we were invited along to provide the background music as around 200 guests arrived for a black-tie ball in aid of St Richards Hospice. The ball had been organised in memory of Emma, who had died from Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma during lockdown. We were delighted and honoured to have been asked to take part.
As you may see from Geoff's photos, were were somewhat underdressed in comparison with the guests, but we didn't let that put us off. We were playing 'Al Fresco' (although I don't think Al ever played any of our numbers!), just outside the marquee, where the guests were assembling. With a couple of exceptions - notably the lady dressed a la 20's and her husband (see photo 2), who described themselves as 'musos' (he has a ukulele!) we weren't paid an awful lot of attention. There was some foot-tapping and singing along gong on, but - understandably - the guests were concentrating on their pre-prandial drinks and talking to each other... and it's hard to clap with a Bucks Fizz in your hand. However, we played with real gusto, and, though I say so myself, we sounded really good!
Organiser Jane was full of praise for us when our time was up and the guests all went into the marquee to eat. She said that we had provided a lovely, lively start to their evening and had set just the right tone.
Many, many thanks to the 15 Wuccies who really tested their Satnavs and ventured into the deepest depths of rural Worcestershire to contribute to a super evening. Photos - courtesy of Geoff - show just how underdressed we were and why we just had to play "Dedicated Follower Of Fashion"!
Cheers Trevor
As you may see from Geoff's photos, were were somewhat underdressed in comparison with the guests, but we didn't let that put us off. We were playing 'Al Fresco' (although I don't think Al ever played any of our numbers!), just outside the marquee, where the guests were assembling. With a couple of exceptions - notably the lady dressed a la 20's and her husband (see photo 2), who described themselves as 'musos' (he has a ukulele!) we weren't paid an awful lot of attention. There was some foot-tapping and singing along gong on, but - understandably - the guests were concentrating on their pre-prandial drinks and talking to each other... and it's hard to clap with a Bucks Fizz in your hand. However, we played with real gusto, and, though I say so myself, we sounded really good!
Organiser Jane was full of praise for us when our time was up and the guests all went into the marquee to eat. She said that we had provided a lovely, lively start to their evening and had set just the right tone.
Many, many thanks to the 15 Wuccies who really tested their Satnavs and ventured into the deepest depths of rural Worcestershire to contribute to a super evening. Photos - courtesy of Geoff - show just how underdressed we were and why we just had to play "Dedicated Follower Of Fashion"!
Cheers Trevor
22/06/24 Neil and Eileen's 65th Wedding Anniversary
Hi All, There were only half a dozen today, which was just as well, as we were in a small elevated section of the garden, overlooking the party on the patio. I (Elaine) asked for a pair of secateurs but I was told no, so I played from behind a tree! This was our second visit to Prickley Green. We were last there five years ago for the 60th wedding anniversary of Neil and Eileen, and this time to help them celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary. We were delighted and honoured to be invited to do so.
From our lofty post, like minstrels in the gallery, we played two sets, taking care to ensure that neither set included any song written this millennium! The party-goers enjoyed the music, sang along with a few, rattled and shook their rattles and shakers, and generally had a good time. The highlight of the afternoon was when Neil and Eileen danced a waltz to our impromptu rendition of Edelweiss. Talking to Neil afterwards, we agreed to write 20th June 2029 into our diaries for their 70th wedding anniversary.
Cheers Elaine and Trevor
From our lofty post, like minstrels in the gallery, we played two sets, taking care to ensure that neither set included any song written this millennium! The party-goers enjoyed the music, sang along with a few, rattled and shook their rattles and shakers, and generally had a good time. The highlight of the afternoon was when Neil and Eileen danced a waltz to our impromptu rendition of Edelweiss. Talking to Neil afterwards, we agreed to write 20th June 2029 into our diaries for their 70th wedding anniversary.
Cheers Elaine and Trevor
19/06/24 St Andrews Centre, Pershore
Hi Everyone, A big thank you to Brian, Pattie, Phil the Bass, Jean, Terry, Colin R, Joan, Shirley, Maureen, John Ma and Jerry for their group performance at the Lunch Club yesterday. Good playing, singing and banter meant a happy audience who showed their appreciation and support by adding £69.78 to our gig fee of £75, in other words just shy of £150. Well done Joan for ‘Bucketeering’ and also the Hand-Jive Trio of Pattie, Jean and Joan who continue to charm audiences!! No pictures, we forgot our make-up. Regards John
Wow great gig today at Pershore fab song list great strumming and singing,hand Jiving thanks John for leading a truly enjoyable gig 🎼🎼🎸🤠Colin R
15/06/24 School Gardens Residential Village
Evening Everyone
A fine bunch of Wuccies played for us today at this new venue in Stourport. The event was celebrating Charles III’s official birthday and the Trooping of The Colour. As you can see red, white and blue was much in evidence. A big thank you to them from me for their ability to join in the mayhem and have a laugh whilst entertaining. One special thank you to Trevor who filled the gap on bass. A great personal friend but someone who has helped WUC before.
We were made to feel very welcome and well looked after during our visit. This is a residential place not a care home and they certainly set out to enjoy themselves. So we obliged. They really appreciated the percussion instruments and sang well. The chat about Spectrum Days was very well received and they have benefitted today from £80 (extra £5) and £70.60 in the bucket, making £150.60. Rather than the usual bon mots here is the feedback from the venue organiser. Regards John
A fine bunch of Wuccies played for us today at this new venue in Stourport. The event was celebrating Charles III’s official birthday and the Trooping of The Colour. As you can see red, white and blue was much in evidence. A big thank you to them from me for their ability to join in the mayhem and have a laugh whilst entertaining. One special thank you to Trevor who filled the gap on bass. A great personal friend but someone who has helped WUC before.
We were made to feel very welcome and well looked after during our visit. This is a residential place not a care home and they certainly set out to enjoy themselves. So we obliged. They really appreciated the percussion instruments and sang well. The chat about Spectrum Days was very well received and they have benefitted today from £80 (extra £5) and £70.60 in the bucket, making £150.60. Rather than the usual bon mots here is the feedback from the venue organiser. Regards John
Hi John,
Thanks again for today , it's was bloomin' brilliant. I already had the following comments "Book them again" "They were brilliant, I hope we can see them again here" "Was worthwhile as it was for charity as well as good music" "Very entertaining, especially the chap at the front ( you John) " Stay in touch we'd be more than happy to have you entertain us . Kind Regards Charlotte Hunter Service Manager |
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12/06/24 Royal Three Counties Show
Hi all, Well, although the weather forecast for today was very reminiscent of the lyrics to Bad Moon Rising, in actual fact the phrase I would have used to sum up the day in meteorological terms is more reminiscent of one of George Formby's catchphrases: "Turned out nice, again!" So,...yes... there was one shortish shower, which started just as we finished our first set, and ended well before we started our second set, but that was it rain-wise!. People weren't forced to scurry off looking for shelter! The result was that we had a good audience, sitting in their deck-chairs, on the beach, in the Sun, during both of our two sets.
Although one doesn't wish to boast, I thought we sounded really good, and the crowd (ok, perhaps 'crowd' is too strong a word)... er.... the audience clapped and sang and danced along with us, and we got several nice comments from individuals when our work was done. In addition to the positive feedback, we also got a really creditable amount in the collecting buckets. We actually broke the ton, and I've banked £100:67! There was one cute little girl, aged probably around 3, whose parents sat throughout our first set, and then came back for our second set. Her mom gave her a coin to go and put into one of the buckets, which she did to everyone's delight! She then went to lots of other audience members with her hand out for a coin to put in our bucket. Let's get her signed up. There is also a gig fee of £100.00 which will come our way shortly, so a good boost to our charity fund-raising!
So, all in all, it was a great day. Many, many thanks to the 15 Wuccies who really did the club proud with their singing and playing, and many, many thanks also to Joan's other half, Peter, who rattled a bucket through both sets... and to Barbara who rattled the second bucket during the second set.
Cheers Elaine and Trevor
Although one doesn't wish to boast, I thought we sounded really good, and the crowd (ok, perhaps 'crowd' is too strong a word)... er.... the audience clapped and sang and danced along with us, and we got several nice comments from individuals when our work was done. In addition to the positive feedback, we also got a really creditable amount in the collecting buckets. We actually broke the ton, and I've banked £100:67! There was one cute little girl, aged probably around 3, whose parents sat throughout our first set, and then came back for our second set. Her mom gave her a coin to go and put into one of the buckets, which she did to everyone's delight! She then went to lots of other audience members with her hand out for a coin to put in our bucket. Let's get her signed up. There is also a gig fee of £100.00 which will come our way shortly, so a good boost to our charity fund-raising!
So, all in all, it was a great day. Many, many thanks to the 15 Wuccies who really did the club proud with their singing and playing, and many, many thanks also to Joan's other half, Peter, who rattled a bucket through both sets... and to Barbara who rattled the second bucket during the second set.
Cheers Elaine and Trevor
12/06/24 Fernhill House Care Home
Hi all, A huge vote of thanks to the Baker's Dozen of Wuccies who played so well at the Fernhill House Care Home, Fernhill Heath, this afternoon. This was the first time we've played at this care home. and I don't think it will be the last! We had a blast!
The playing area wasn't the easiest layout we've ever had to cope with, but we did well, and kept together, aided largely by the residents who shook and rattled their shakers and rattles with enthusiasm and a good sense of timing. We were also aided by one member of staff, Lucy, who counted us in for the song Urban Spaceman (as both Elaine and I had kazoos in our mouths.) Lucy did tease us a little with her first count-in by only counting up to 3, but we were perfectly counted in - possibly never better - on her second go, which reached the heady heights of 4!
I had a personal blast from the past when another member of staff asked me, "Didn't you used to be a teacher?" Turns out she was one of my ex-pupils at Middle School. I would not have recognised her, as she was only 13 the last time I saw her, but I did remember her and her siblings. I did have to point out, though, that she should refer to me as her 'former teacher', and not as her 'old teacher'!
We received a gig fee of £75.00. We told them about Spectrum Days, but we didn't mention the buckets, as it wasn't the sort of gig at which that would be appropriate. However, one of the residents spotted the bucket on the floor on his way out, and popped a fiver into it, so Spectrum Days will be £80.00 better off as a result of the gig. Many, many thanks again to all who came along and took part. Cheers Trevor and Elaine
The playing area wasn't the easiest layout we've ever had to cope with, but we did well, and kept together, aided largely by the residents who shook and rattled their shakers and rattles with enthusiasm and a good sense of timing. We were also aided by one member of staff, Lucy, who counted us in for the song Urban Spaceman (as both Elaine and I had kazoos in our mouths.) Lucy did tease us a little with her first count-in by only counting up to 3, but we were perfectly counted in - possibly never better - on her second go, which reached the heady heights of 4!
I had a personal blast from the past when another member of staff asked me, "Didn't you used to be a teacher?" Turns out she was one of my ex-pupils at Middle School. I would not have recognised her, as she was only 13 the last time I saw her, but I did remember her and her siblings. I did have to point out, though, that she should refer to me as her 'former teacher', and not as her 'old teacher'!
We received a gig fee of £75.00. We told them about Spectrum Days, but we didn't mention the buckets, as it wasn't the sort of gig at which that would be appropriate. However, one of the residents spotted the bucket on the floor on his way out, and popped a fiver into it, so Spectrum Days will be £80.00 better off as a result of the gig. Many, many thanks again to all who came along and took part. Cheers Trevor and Elaine
11/06/24 Battenhall Retirement Village
Hi All, Quick thank you to the dynamic dozen who played in the very swish retirement home this afternoon. We played to a very refined audience, who percussed in perfect time through out and laughed politely to Trevor’s questionable jokes. (like we all do). Proof of their breeding, at the end of the gig, one lady asked “Are we allowed to ask for an encore?”. We obliged and they showed their appreciation by dropping a nice £73 in the collecting ukulele case. Well, we couldn’t possibly have used a plastic bucket could we? Together with the £75 gig fee we managed to raise £148 for Spectrum Days. Thanks again, Elaine and Trevor.
21/05/24 Drakes Broughton Tea Party
HI all, What a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon we had today, playing to a full Drakes Broughton Village Hall. Their Tea Party was a great success, and we were told in no uncertain terms that our playing helped make it such. We played two sets, with a break in between for yummy sandwiches, cake, tea and coffee. The audience joined in enthusiastically with the singing and on percussion and the time seemed to fly by.
As well as the gig fee of £75.00, there was £109.95 in the collecting buckets.
A huge 'thank you' to all the Wuccies who took part and helped to make the afternoon so joyful! Cheers Trevor
As well as the gig fee of £75.00, there was £109.95 in the collecting buckets.
A huge 'thank you' to all the Wuccies who took part and helped to make the afternoon so joyful! Cheers Trevor
The really good news update is that, Martin - the Drakes Broughton Village Hall treasurer - transferred a further £132.50 into WUC's account. This money was the proceeds of the raffle held at the Tea Party. It brought the total raised on the day to £317.45. Many, many thanks to the organisers of the Drakes Broughton Village Hall Tea Party, and to those 'Wonderwuccies' who helped make it so successful Cheers (again) Trevor
18/05/24 Spectrum Days Busk, Worcester
HI all, Well, the weather gods were certainly looking after us this time after the arctic conditions in which we held our last buskathon back in March. OK, so there was one very, very short shower, but it only rained on Joan, who was on bucket-rattle duties, while the rest of us were sheltering beneath the canopy (?) outside the former Debenhams store, so it didn't really matter! (Only joking, Joan! ). There was lots of passing traffic, and many people took advantage of the nearby benches to sit a while and listen. The great people of Worcester put their hands in their pockets and contributed most generously to our charity. I couldn't quite believe the total the first time I counted it, so I counted it again, and then asked Sue to check the adding up. As a result of today's bust, which I thought was immensely enjoyable, Spectrum Days will be better off to the sum of £460.75! Wow! Many, many thanks to all the Wuccies who turned out and who contributed in so many ways to a hugely enjoyable and hugely successful busk. Roll on the next one. Cheers Trevor
17/05/24 Meadow Court Retirement Village
Hi all, It was really good to see so many of our old friends at Meadow Court Retirement Village, Worcester, again today. We were made to feel most welcome, when we went to play a few pre-lunch songs both for and with them. We kicked off with a rousing and enthusiastic (but probably totally off-key) rendition of Happy Birthday to resident, Martin. We're not sure what his age is, but we do know he doesn't look a day over it! We then sang two sets, and the joining in, both vocally and percussively, was excellent! Although the lunch that the residents were about to enjoy was to celebrate Dementia Awareness Week, with proceeds of their raffle going to Dementia Awareness, they still managed to find some cash to chuck in our bucket. As well as the £75.00 gig fee, there was a truly creditable £38.28 in the bucket. Many thanks to all the Wuccies who came along and who sang and played so well and who helped to make the gig so successful. The first thing that Jo, the manager, asked me when we'd finished and were packing away was whether we could come again at Christmas. For Meadow Court? Yes! Definitely! Cheers Trevor
09/05/24 Malvern RHS Spring Fair
Hi All,
Well, the sun certainly had his hat on for us today. We played just by the beach with our audience lounging in deck chairs: a very British summer’s day. Fifteen of us played and sang through an assortment of songs, all well received by our audience, who joined along, singing and doing the actions to most.
Trevor’s bit……. Yes, it was a really enjoyable gig, and we got lots of complimentary comments at the end. We also got a good collection in the bucket. I had expected around £30.00, based on what I had seen going into the bucket from the relatively few passers-by. I was very nicely surprised to find £76.43, though! Plus the gig fee: £100.00! Nigh swan! Many thanks to the Wuccies who came along and contributed so well to a really great day!
Back to Elaine........... At the end of the afternoon it took me, Ian and James ( two show staff ) about 25 minutes to find my car. All’s well that ends well.
Elaine
Another bit from Trevor.......... I had a similar problem finding my car. In the end, I left the club amp, the buckets with the collection in, my uke and my rucksack with my iPad in in the safe care of a parking marshal, and went walkabout to track it down. I later suggested to the marshal that they have drones with cameras to fly over the car park to help muppets like me! An idea for Dragons Den, perhaps? This time next year, we'll be millionaires.
Trevor
Well, the sun certainly had his hat on for us today. We played just by the beach with our audience lounging in deck chairs: a very British summer’s day. Fifteen of us played and sang through an assortment of songs, all well received by our audience, who joined along, singing and doing the actions to most.
Trevor’s bit……. Yes, it was a really enjoyable gig, and we got lots of complimentary comments at the end. We also got a good collection in the bucket. I had expected around £30.00, based on what I had seen going into the bucket from the relatively few passers-by. I was very nicely surprised to find £76.43, though! Plus the gig fee: £100.00! Nigh swan! Many thanks to the Wuccies who came along and contributed so well to a really great day!
Back to Elaine........... At the end of the afternoon it took me, Ian and James ( two show staff ) about 25 minutes to find my car. All’s well that ends well.
Elaine
Another bit from Trevor.......... I had a similar problem finding my car. In the end, I left the club amp, the buckets with the collection in, my uke and my rucksack with my iPad in in the safe care of a parking marshal, and went walkabout to track it down. I later suggested to the marshal that they have drones with cameras to fly over the car park to help muppets like me! An idea for Dragons Den, perhaps? This time next year, we'll be millionaires.
Trevor
04/05/24 Malvern Arts Market
Well, wasn't it grand to be out playing with a band of friends on that rarest of rare things - a bright and sunny morning in May!! Many thanks to the cracking Wuccie crew who congregated to croon to an appreciative Priory crowd at the Malvern Arts Market this morning. We made no secret of the fact that we are not professional musicians and that we might need a little help from time to time... and the help was forthcoming. Who among us will ever forget being counted in by our temporary Musical Direct, Ned. I'm not sure we've ever sung Belle of Belfast City so well before, and probably never will again. We also had lots of help throughout our two sets from young, up-and-coming percussionists. Lots of passers by paused for a song or two; some joined in; many found a penny in their pocket to chuck it in our bucket. The total raised for Spectrum Days today was £130.08. Once again, many thanks to the Malvern Arts Market for allowing us to play, and huge thanks to all the Wuccies who contributed so well to what can only be described as a really enjoyable and successful couple of hours. Cheers Trevor
22/04/24 The Rose Garden Village Malvern
Hi all. Very many thanks to the excellent band that played at the Rose Garden Hereford. We had a great time and the audience enjoyed it too! I think that this is the third time that we've played there and we're always made very welcome. It's a great venue with a stage, good acoustics and an appreciative audience. One new member of the audience was a lady from Yorkshire who had travelled down to visit a relative. She came up to us at the end to say how much she enjoyed the show. She went on to say that she thought we were a bit "Different". I decided to take this as a compliment! We had a good gig fee (£150) but in addition, we were allowed to take a bucket collection which yielded £65.19 and the Rose Garden added in the proceeds of their afternoon raffle (£41.20) so we came away with a total of £256.39 for the Spectrum Days Charity. Thanks again to all the band. Allan.
20/04/24 Great Malvern Farmer's Market
Hi Everyone, A very big thank you to this cheery bunch who played at the Malvern Farmers Market this morning. Lots of fun was had and they certainly kept me on my toes, including changing positions as I tried to introduce them to the crowd! Terry came up with the ‘line' of the day after I introduced Da Doo Ron Ron with ‘I met her on a Monday and my heart stood still!’, adding that he hoped a defibrillator was available!! Well done Jean, Joan and Barb as the Hand Jive Trio plus thanks to Joan and Barb for ‘bucketeering’. The quality of their enthusiasm and the band's performance led to a collection total of £108.25. A great result for Spectrum Days and to be added to the current running total of over £2000. Regards John
Peter, Dave, Shirley, Brian, Frank, John Hi, Terry, Jean, Liz, Eileen and Jackie, Martin, Joan, David, Ann, Steve, Nick, Barb and Jan
10/04/24 Alzheimer's Support Group - Worcester Warriors Foundation
Hi Everyone, Many of you know Stan of St Paul’s fame. His daughter got in touch with me last Friday(!) and we rapidly, with Virginia’s help, pulled a supergroup together for yesterday morning’s show for the Alzheimer’s Support Group organised by the Worcester Warriors Foundation. Amongst other sacrifices Jean cancelled the dentist and Ros the hairdresser to be there. Anyhow the most important thing to say came from Stan’s daughter Bev who sent the following -
"Thank you John and your team it was very good of you to get so many together at such short notice. I have had nothing but positive feedback from members of how they enjoyed the morning. It gives me great pleasure seeing my dad and other members of the group come to life when they hear your music. Big Thank you again, next time will give you more notice! Bev”
Anyway they gave us £50 for the charity and lovely cake! There was dancing and Stan joined us for “You Are My Sunshine”. Jean and Barb were the Hand Jive Twins, Shirley and Phil the tight rhythm section and Martin H gave Sue the Runaround!
Regards John
"Thank you John and your team it was very good of you to get so many together at such short notice. I have had nothing but positive feedback from members of how they enjoyed the morning. It gives me great pleasure seeing my dad and other members of the group come to life when they hear your music. Big Thank you again, next time will give you more notice! Bev”
Anyway they gave us £50 for the charity and lovely cake! There was dancing and Stan joined us for “You Are My Sunshine”. Jean and Barb were the Hand Jive Twins, Shirley and Phil the tight rhythm section and Martin H gave Sue the Runaround!
Regards John
05/04/24 Welland House Care Centre
Hi all, A small, but perfectly formed, group of 8 Wuccies headed out into the depths of Worcestershire today to play at the Welland House Care Centre, in (surprisingly!) Welland. We were last there just before Christmas, and we were made most welcome again by staff and residents alike, many of whom had been looking forward to our return. We gave out what's left of my percussion instruments, along with word sheets, and we all settled down for a good, old-fashioned sing-song! We played for just over an hour, and it was great the see so many of the residents joining in and getting up and dancing. The highlight, though, was when resident, Gary, did a solo rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone. A great time was had by all, and the charity fund will grow by £80 as a result. Many thanks to all - on both sides of the ukulele - who did their bit to make the afternoon an enjoyable success! Photographic evidence of our presence is provided by Geoff. Cheers Trevor
28/03/24 Highwell House Care Home, Bromyard
Quick note from today’s gig in Bromyard. There was only space for eight of us but we represented WUC well. We were asked for 60’s and 70’s music. They sang and percussed (is that a word?) to everything. We turned the session into a quiz and awarded virtual points. Eddie was the champion, gaining points for answering, and he even turned the tables and asked his own questions! Afternoon tea was wonderful, served on a tea trolley, very posh.
Second half was just as much fun. When we sang, “When I’m 64”, one man said “I can give you 40 years on that”. Turns out he was 103! Amazing man. We were thanked and all promised “mates rates” when we’re ready to move in. I think that’s a first.
Anyway, we spent a couple of hours having fun and raising £87 for our charity. I’m sure we’ll be asked back again. Thanks to today’s band, you did a great job. My first time leading a gig for a few months, I’d forgotten how much fun it is. Elaine
Second half was just as much fun. When we sang, “When I’m 64”, one man said “I can give you 40 years on that”. Turns out he was 103! Amazing man. We were thanked and all promised “mates rates” when we’re ready to move in. I think that’s a first.
Anyway, we spent a couple of hours having fun and raising £87 for our charity. I’m sure we’ll be asked back again. Thanks to today’s band, you did a great job. My first time leading a gig for a few months, I’d forgotten how much fun it is. Elaine
23/03/24 Spectrum Days Busk
HI all,
Well, it was hard to believe that we have passed the Spring equinox and that we are only a week away from putting the clocks forward. Boy, was it chilly on the High Street outside the Debenhams today! However, we ukulele players are noted for our resolve and our resilience, and 37 of us turned out today, to stand in the shade of what little sunshine there was, and to entertain the great people of Worcester for very nearly 4 hours. We were ably assisted by our bucket-rattlers, and we were delighted to see a goodly group of staff, members and carers of Spectrum Days who turned out to support us supporting them! A special mention to Jim and Tash! It wouldn't have been a proper Spectrum Days do without them!
Perhaps it was the far from spring-like weather keeping people away, but there didn't seem to be that many passers-by chuckin' it in the bucket. However, the rucksack containing the cash on my trek back to the car was heavy, and, once I had got home, it took me quite some time to tot up the total. I had to wash some of the cash - money laundering? - as I think someone must have spilled part of a drink into one of the buckets. (WUC have had a Lucky Bucket for a few years: we've now also got a Mucky Bucket!) When all the cash was clean and dry, the counting began, and I am delighted to report that the total collected was £466.73! Wow! (Even more surprising than the truly impressive amount raised was the fact that there were no foreign coins at all in the collection... and no shopping-trolley tokens! ) A HUGE "thank you!" and a HUGE "well done!" to everyone who took part.
Attached are photos from Geoff and Rosemary (who was a very busy bee this afternoon). The little girl with Anne is Lily in Pink (not to be confused with Lily the Pink), and we are grateful to her dad, Nathan, who took the photo, emailed it to Geoff and consented to us using the photo in our emails and on Facebook.
I'll have a look at what's on when, and then I'll look to book another busk at the end of April/beginning of May, when it can only be a bit warmer! Can't it....??!!
Cheers
Trevor
Well, it was hard to believe that we have passed the Spring equinox and that we are only a week away from putting the clocks forward. Boy, was it chilly on the High Street outside the Debenhams today! However, we ukulele players are noted for our resolve and our resilience, and 37 of us turned out today, to stand in the shade of what little sunshine there was, and to entertain the great people of Worcester for very nearly 4 hours. We were ably assisted by our bucket-rattlers, and we were delighted to see a goodly group of staff, members and carers of Spectrum Days who turned out to support us supporting them! A special mention to Jim and Tash! It wouldn't have been a proper Spectrum Days do without them!
Perhaps it was the far from spring-like weather keeping people away, but there didn't seem to be that many passers-by chuckin' it in the bucket. However, the rucksack containing the cash on my trek back to the car was heavy, and, once I had got home, it took me quite some time to tot up the total. I had to wash some of the cash - money laundering? - as I think someone must have spilled part of a drink into one of the buckets. (WUC have had a Lucky Bucket for a few years: we've now also got a Mucky Bucket!) When all the cash was clean and dry, the counting began, and I am delighted to report that the total collected was £466.73! Wow! (Even more surprising than the truly impressive amount raised was the fact that there were no foreign coins at all in the collection... and no shopping-trolley tokens! ) A HUGE "thank you!" and a HUGE "well done!" to everyone who took part.
Attached are photos from Geoff and Rosemary (who was a very busy bee this afternoon). The little girl with Anne is Lily in Pink (not to be confused with Lily the Pink), and we are grateful to her dad, Nathan, who took the photo, emailed it to Geoff and consented to us using the photo in our emails and on Facebook.
I'll have a look at what's on when, and then I'll look to book another busk at the end of April/beginning of May, when it can only be a bit warmer! Can't it....??!!
Cheers
Trevor
21/03/24 Delores' Wake - Blackpole Inn, Worcester
Hi all
A group of 14 of us met at the Blackpole Inn, Worcester, this afternoon to play at the wake of an erstwhile resident of Bilford Court. We came across Dolores at the gigs we've done at Bilford Court, and it was very much a case of "once you've met her, you don't forget her"! She loved a good sing-along, and - being Irish - would often ask for a song from the Emerald Isle, and we would oblige, if we could. Well, this afternoon, we played a set of 10 songs, five of which, at some time, had made their way in an easterly direction across the Irish Sea. The friends and family at the wake had copies of the lyrics, and there was great audience participation. We had a spare microphone, and offered everyone the chance to perform a ukularaoke song. Eventually. Dimitri was brave enough (or coerced) to pick up the mike and help us along with Bring Me Sunshine. He went down a storm, and didn't want to give up the mike, so he also gave his all on Fields of Athenry and I'll Fly Away.
Although the circumstances were essentially, sad, the mood in the room was a joyful one, remembering and celebrating Dolores. Everyone was sure she would have had a ball, had she been there!
As well as the £75.00 gig fee, there had been collections at Bilford Court and at the Crematorium, which Julie, Dolores' daughter, decided to pass on to us to support Spectrum Days. The total collected at the two venues was £299.72... plus a shopping-trolley token. I reckon that it's the thought that counts, so I've bought the token for £1.00 (which it resembles!), meaning that the grand total in buckets is £301.72. (Anyone want to buy a British Heart Foundation shopping-trolley token, for a mere £1.25?)
Many thanks to everyone who played and helped to make the event so successful, and many thanks to Dolores' friends and family for allowing us to take part in it.
Two photos from Geoff attached.
Cheers
Trevor
A group of 14 of us met at the Blackpole Inn, Worcester, this afternoon to play at the wake of an erstwhile resident of Bilford Court. We came across Dolores at the gigs we've done at Bilford Court, and it was very much a case of "once you've met her, you don't forget her"! She loved a good sing-along, and - being Irish - would often ask for a song from the Emerald Isle, and we would oblige, if we could. Well, this afternoon, we played a set of 10 songs, five of which, at some time, had made their way in an easterly direction across the Irish Sea. The friends and family at the wake had copies of the lyrics, and there was great audience participation. We had a spare microphone, and offered everyone the chance to perform a ukularaoke song. Eventually. Dimitri was brave enough (or coerced) to pick up the mike and help us along with Bring Me Sunshine. He went down a storm, and didn't want to give up the mike, so he also gave his all on Fields of Athenry and I'll Fly Away.
Although the circumstances were essentially, sad, the mood in the room was a joyful one, remembering and celebrating Dolores. Everyone was sure she would have had a ball, had she been there!
As well as the £75.00 gig fee, there had been collections at Bilford Court and at the Crematorium, which Julie, Dolores' daughter, decided to pass on to us to support Spectrum Days. The total collected at the two venues was £299.72... plus a shopping-trolley token. I reckon that it's the thought that counts, so I've bought the token for £1.00 (which it resembles!), meaning that the grand total in buckets is £301.72. (Anyone want to buy a British Heart Foundation shopping-trolley token, for a mere £1.25?)
Many thanks to everyone who played and helped to make the event so successful, and many thanks to Dolores' friends and family for allowing us to take part in it.
Two photos from Geoff attached.
Cheers
Trevor
21/03/24 The Warf Care Home, Stourport
Hi Everyone, A brief report following our gig today. The pretty bunch below were our representatives this afternoon and did their utmost to maintain the WUC reputation, as they provided an hour of fun and jollity as only WUCs know how. We had a lot of banter, mostly at my expense, a joke from Yvonne and much more from the audience who provided percussive accompaniment, again thanks to Yvonne. The staff were dragged onboard and there were a couple of nice moments when they told us their names and those behind me sang a relevant song e.g. Michelle and Carrie-Ann! Thank you Jean and Yvonne for being the hand-jivers today. Big thank you to Mark on the bass for holding the chaos together with Shirley's tambourine and lastly, to Teddy the Shih Tzu who ..
1) Didn't howl or bark.
2) Provided a sumptuous comedic moment that can't be detailed here!
We have added £75 gig fee and were handed £13 by a couple of the residents after we spoke about Spectrum Days and thanked the Wharf for the fee. All in all we proved that when we all pull together we really do have the know how to have fun and frolics.
Regards John
Looking intelligent are Mark, Rick, Martin S, Liz, Joan, Yvonne, Jean, Shirley and Trevor R.
1) Didn't howl or bark.
2) Provided a sumptuous comedic moment that can't be detailed here!
We have added £75 gig fee and were handed £13 by a couple of the residents after we spoke about Spectrum Days and thanked the Wharf for the fee. All in all we proved that when we all pull together we really do have the know how to have fun and frolics.
Regards John
Looking intelligent are Mark, Rick, Martin S, Liz, Joan, Yvonne, Jean, Shirley and Trevor R.
07/03/24 Spectrum Days
Hi All, Many, many thanks to the group of Wuccies who put their all into the gig at Spectrum Days this morning. As ever, the gig was a joyous and joyful affair, with lots of audience participation and dancing. The hour went by really quickly, with lots of singing and laughter. The only downside, I think, was two naughty people behind me, who apparently changed the words of “Hi Ho Silver Lining!” to “Hi Ho Wolverhampton!” I suppose it’s what you come to expect from Wolves fans! (I won’t name any names, but you know who you are, Colin and Jim!!!)
21/02/24 St Andrew's Centre Pershore and Lunch Club
Hi Everyone, A big thank you to the 12 plucky, pluckers who played yesterday in Pershore. I received the following from the organiser Donna.
"Dear John and Worcester Ukulele group,
Please find attached the photos from today, huge thanks to everyone for the most upliftng lunch club everyone commented on how much they enjoyed it.”
All we can ask for, so thanks again to Tom, Phil the Bass, Brian, Jean, Frank, Jerry, Joan, David H, Barbara T, Maureen and Martin H. Oh and an enthusiastic audience member grabbed our bucket and came back with £66.45 to add to the £75 gig fee making £141.45 for Spectrum Days. I am sure the collection was helped by what Barb said to the audience by way of introducing our charity. Well done Barb, you bought Spectrum Days to life. Regards, John
"Dear John and Worcester Ukulele group,
Please find attached the photos from today, huge thanks to everyone for the most upliftng lunch club everyone commented on how much they enjoyed it.”
All we can ask for, so thanks again to Tom, Phil the Bass, Brian, Jean, Frank, Jerry, Joan, David H, Barbara T, Maureen and Martin H. Oh and an enthusiastic audience member grabbed our bucket and came back with £66.45 to add to the £75 gig fee making £141.45 for Spectrum Days. I am sure the collection was helped by what Barb said to the audience by way of introducing our charity. Well done Barb, you bought Spectrum Days to life. Regards, John
15/02/24 St Paul's Church Friendship and Lunch Club
Hi, It was a sunny and warmer day, as a sunny and warm hearted bunch of Wuccies met at St Paul’s. Thanks go to Trevor T, John Hi, Colin B, Brian, Jean, Ann, Martin S, Pete L, Nick, Frank, Sue, Jerry, Joan, Dave Su, Barbara T, Shirley, Martin H, Liz and Michael. Interesting acoustic as ever but a happy audience joined in enthusiastically. Thanks to Trevor for talking to them about Spectrum Days. Special thanks to the ‘hand-jive’ duo Joan and Jean and Martin for a super RunAround Sue. Stan joined us for ‘You are My Sunshine’ and overall we were very well received. Organiser Peter rang later and said thank you for a great concert! So there! It was he who asked for and took the photo of the three of us for their church website (lucky them!) and to publicise our charity. Oh, and over £90 for the charity as well. Regards John
03/02/24 Bromyard Road Methodist Church
Well at last WUC has broken the duck for gigging in 2024 and supporting our new charity. 15 of us went to Bromyard Road Methodist Church this afternoon to play to a well attended audience who were supporting their own charity linked to Nigeria. They were a lovely audience who joined in with clapping and singing with many of the songs. The biggest surprise was that most of them joined in doing the hand-jive led with great enthusiasm by Jean!! Never seen that before, not Jean acting daft but the audience en masse joining in! There was a great deal of smiley enthusiasm and banter with a tiny hint of rust but we must have entertained because despite there being no fee they took our bucket away and gave us £67.14 which given they were supporting another charity, was very generous!
Well done Pete L, Rick, Colin, Martin S, Jean, Dave Su, Shirley, Maureen, John M, Brian, Bev, Martin H and Bill the Bass. Special mention to Colin for leading his Buddy Holly Medley, Brian for harmonies and Martin H for leading with gusto Runaround Sue plus scatdabadoo in the Jungle Book Medley! Photos are courtesy of Pat who described herself as a WUC groupie who used to send videos to Colin!!! One more thing, there was a young lady called Scarlet, age 8, in the audience who had bought her own ukulele. We checked her out and she can already play C, Am, F and G! She is booked to do the rolling start next time on the Jungle Book Medley!! One for the future eh!
Regards
Bête Noire
Well done Pete L, Rick, Colin, Martin S, Jean, Dave Su, Shirley, Maureen, John M, Brian, Bev, Martin H and Bill the Bass. Special mention to Colin for leading his Buddy Holly Medley, Brian for harmonies and Martin H for leading with gusto Runaround Sue plus scatdabadoo in the Jungle Book Medley! Photos are courtesy of Pat who described herself as a WUC groupie who used to send videos to Colin!!! One more thing, there was a young lady called Scarlet, age 8, in the audience who had bought her own ukulele. We checked her out and she can already play C, Am, F and G! She is booked to do the rolling start next time on the Jungle Book Medley!! One for the future eh!
Regards
Bête Noire
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There was a guy taking photos & videos at the Bromyard Road Methodist Church gig. We didn't expect to get quite such a professional result & this is just part one - watch this space for part two!