Kilve Residential Weekend, October 2011
Thanks to Arthur Brine for his write up of the event

Surely, Kilve October 2011 will always be remembered as ‘The one with the witches’

What a wonderful week end it was!

I arrived home full of enthusiasm and announced to my wife ‘That was the best week-end ever’ ‘Oh was it really’ she somewhat icily replied ‘And what about our honeymoon?’ Yes....well....I decided not to pursue this line of conversation having learnt from experience that mere man only ends up trying to get out of the hole in which he now finds himself. How long, I wonder, will it take her to get used to the other love in my life - ‘Tina.

But to return to the main subject: Kilve. Eighty or so people from all over the UK having a wide age range, different backgrounds and varying levels of musical experience all with one aim: to play their concertina the best that they could. Why? For their own satisfaction, to enhance the team in which they were in, and to reflect the enthusiasm and leadership of their respective tutor. On those ‘notes’ the week end had to be a success!

On Saturday evening we enjoyed the Tutor’s Concert: marvelling at the skill of the professionals as their fingers flew across the keys. Yet once again I resisted the urge to throw my concertina in a skip on the way home. And then (maybe) just as skilful, but in a totally different way was the entertainment provided by the Kettlebridge Gang. Liberty Bell will never sound the same again - I doubt if Monty Python could not have raised such a laugh!

Then there were the fun sessions in the bar: it was time to relax after concentrating on dots since breakfast. The diverse range of music to sing to (?) from London to Land’s End with Kate’s ‘Follow the Van’ to Sue’s rendition of ‘Lamorna’. As the song says, I felt I was among ‘All good pals and jolly good company

And so on a personal note my thanks to Esther and her team for making it all happen, thanks to the tutors for lifting us to higher plato, and pulling us all together to present an enjoyable showcase and thanks to everyone else - including witches - for being who you are and making for me what was a truly memorable week end.

Only twenty weeks to the next Kilve.............