Sounds of Summer
Minchinhampton's Holy Trinity Church was a cool haven, helping to swell the audiences for this year's double bill of June concerts. For the first time, every member of the choir was involved in one of the eight numbers for smaller groups, which ranged from the passionate Begin the Beguin to the plaintive medieval The Lily and the Rose. A particular hit was the enthusiastic performance of Cole Porter's Friendship, which opened the second half.

It's always a pleasure to make donations from our receipts to good causes, and this time we were delighted to be able to give cheques for £1,000 each to Midlands Air Ambulance, the Minchinhampton group of Riding for the Disabled and the Friends of Tetbury Hospital.

Audience and singers alike were delighted by a surprise presentation to our M.D. Gerry Palmer at the concert on Friday 11 December. Myrtle Moreton-Cox, President of Stroud Rotary Club and David Seed of Gloucester Rotary Club hijacked proceedings to present Gerry with Rotary's highest award, a Paul Harris Fellowship, in recognition of his contribution to the community through the Stuart Singers' raising of £155,000, given to 134 local organisations over the past 17 years. A further surprise for Gerry was that his brother, rotarian David Palmer, made the trip to see the award. Coming so soon after their invitation to a Buckingham Palace garden party, it's wonderful to see Gerry and Sheila get the recognition which they so richly deserve.

Let There Be Music! We were delighted to help the Royal Gloucestershire Masonic Lodge raise around £3,000 for Linc by giving a concert at Gloucester Cathedral. It was a great fillip for the choir to see this grand venue so well filled as we launched into our opening number, the glorious Fanfare, so well suited to the great church's acoustic. Most of the evening's songs were new to Gloucester audiences, but MD Gerry Palmer had added some favourites from previous concerts to the programme.

We hope that it was as special an evening for our audience as it was for the choir. For two of our number it will always be remembered: Angie and Paul Hubbard became grandparents during the performance!

As ever, our aim is to raise as much as we can for local good causes and these concerts saw representatives of local charities St Rose's School's Smile Appeal and the Stroud Beresford Group receive cheques. Donations were also made to two very local projects in Minchinhampton itself: to our venue of so many years, Holy Trinity Church, and to the town's historic Market House.

Thanks... Thanks... Thanks...
"We would like to thank you all for a wonderful evening. The range of items was enjoyed by everyone who came to the concert. Every member of the choir has so much enthusiasm which is shown in your singing ".

"Your donation will ease our problems a little and will mean that expenditure on music, the teaching of music and musical resources will not be cut back".

"Thank you so much for a superb evening of music and song".

"On behalf of the children at Minchinhampton school, thank you so very much for your most generous cheque towards our new piano. We are all very grateful indeed."