Starting the season at Crealy, September 2004

The first rehearsal in September saw ECO reassembled to brush up some music to play at Crealy Park the following day.

Players who thought they had left at the end of the summer term were easily persuaded to re-join ECO temporarily in order to complete a few of the sections who were now lacking in numbers. Actually we suspected that they were not at all unhappy at the prospect of free goes on the "death slides" in the intervals!

At 10 am everyone assembled in the car park at Crealy, and the players were whisked off around to the back entrance to set up in the Harvest Barn. Many families had decided to join us for the day, benefiting from a specially discounted entrance ticket expertly negotiated by Sue on the Committee.

The staff at Crealy were most helpful, and in no time at all our instrument cases were unpacked and stored in a very unusual cupboard disguised as a forest! Children were then sent off to "play" while the adults enjoyed a welcome cup of coffee.

As people began to drift into the Barn for lunch ECO began their performance. The acoustic in the Barn was surprisingly good, and the children played really well. There were several renditions of Happy Birthday, including one for a party in the audience, much to their surprise and delight.

As the day wore on there were many more quick changes of clothes and footwear to allow very excited ECO members (and many of their parents!) to enjoy all of the facilities Crealy has to offer.

At the end of the afternoon we adjourned to the café where Lynda volunteered to look everyone's belongings. She could just be seen, barricaded in by a sea of instruments and assorted clothing, packed lunch boxes and other sundry items!

On reflection everyone agreed that it was a super way to start the new term, with old friends and new friends looking forward to another eventful year with ECO.