Washstock 09

Photos by Dave Keeling

‘Washstock' – The first Wymeswold Music Festival – Sunday 5th July

The inaugural ‘Washstock' music festival was a huge success on the afternoon of Sunday 5th July as musicians, singers, choirs and the people of Wymeswold came together for a superb village community event.

Over 400 villagers brought along their picnics, blankets and drinks to sit back and enjoy a lazy afternoon of musical entertainment showcasing the huge array of talent we have in the village.

The afternoon kicked-off at 2.30pm with Mick Mangan playing an acoustic set, before making way for ‘Airwalk' a three-piece band of local lads. We had choral work from the ‘Wymeswold Waits' , soloists and the choir from Wymeswold School , and the harmony group ‘None-of-a-Kind' featuring Steve Johnson and Dave Hall from Wymeswold.

The band ‘Ignition' featured three 12-year-olds – Katie MacDonald, Nathan Moore and Jack Rogerson, and then Olivia Durning played a couple of songs on her keyboard. Six Wymeswold ladies under the name of ‘Girls Disallowed' entertained with an Abba medley, while Charlotte Wood from Burton-on-the-Wolds sang ‘Summertime' and ‘Can't help lovin' dat man'.

After the duo of Charlie Bailey and Nicci Keeling's acoustic set, local band ‘Local Heroes' , featuring Wymeswold's Leo Dawkins, raised the tempo with storming 40-minute set. Richard Thomas, Steve Johnson and Janet Thomas as the ‘ Brook Street Preachers' performed three songs before making way for ‘ Slippery Fish' , the 9-piece band from the village.

A brief shower at the start of Slippery Fish's set failed to dampen the spirits as the crowds rose and danced to a superb hour-long set, with Washstock finally drawing to a close at around 8.30pm.

Donations were invited and, after taking out around £45 in costs, a total of £284 has been donated to the Wymeswold Washdyke Project. The project aims to develop the field further with activity and play equipment aimed at the 10-17 age group.

Many thanks to everyone who took part and helped to make the afternoon such a success – and we look forward to doing it all again next year on Sunday 4 th July 2010. If you are interested in getting involved next year - either on the musical side or as part of the organising team - then please get in touch.

Nick Shaw (01509 880543)

Last Update 07 Aug 09 JT