End of season concert and barbeque 2004

Saturday 10th July arrived, with everyone feeling mixed emotions of relief and disappointment. Relief on the part of the Committee that the year was concluding on a positive note following quite a challenging time, where many aspects of our procedures had been examined and improved on by dint of careful planning. Relief no doubt on the part of many parents who were looking forward to a nice lie-in on a Saturday morning for a few weeks! Disappointment on the part of the children for whom ECO represents a happy morning meeting special ECO friends and indulging in their favourite hobby of music making.

Lynda had already declared that the day was going to be fine and that the concert would take place regardless of the forecast! So the day dawned with threatening clouds all over Devon and a small patch of brightness over the Connaught Gardens!

While the coach transported players from Exeter, Ian Venn delivered the instruments to the stage and we were all assembled and ready to play by about 11.15am. Parents spread out rugs and put up chairs on the lawn, while visitors to the Gardens paused curiously to see what was going on, and settled themselves on benches and deckchairs to enjoy the music.

True to form the day remained dry throughout. Picnics were eaten in the intervals, dogs walked, ice creams consumed, acquaintances renewed, and donations gratefully received from lots of Sidmouth residents and holidaymakers who were delighted with the entertainment.

One elderly lady was most surprised when the Orchestra struck up Happy Birthday as her friend was taking her to tea in the Gardens for a birthday treat! Actually it was Danny's 18th birthday but the lady was convinced it was being played for her!

Collectors mingled with the crowd and rattled buckets and tins which were soon filled, thanks to a neat pincer movement effected by two collectors who used the cover afforded by the vegetation to spring out on the unsuspecting audience from every angle! Actually we collected about £140 which was very good.

At the end of the afternoon, instruments were quickly packed back into the van and whisked back into storage, and about 10 families stayed on to enjoy a barbecue on the beach in the evening sunshine. Vast quantities of sausages were consumed, together with all manner of accompaniments. Some of the children worked up an appetite by paddling, playing football and making a bonfire with driftwood.

It was a wonderful end to a lovely day, and we bade each other a fond farewell and went our separate ways to enjoy our summer holidays, looking forward to meeting up again for a new term in September.