Over one hundred people came to St. Michael’s Church Strete, on Saturday evening, November 18, to enjoy a varied programme of music and lighter entertainment.

The evening kicked off with a brilliant trumpet solo ‘Prince of Denmark’s March’ played by a very young man, Mark Rottenbury, who is considered the best trumpeter in the South West.

This was followed with a duet with Linda Harvey, Soprano with Mark on the trumpet. Mrs Harvey, who lives at Blackawton. sang a piece from The Magic Flute.

She has sung solo in an opera at the Albert Hall and twice at the BBC Proms.

Karen White, one of the organists at St Michael’s, but is a classical pianist, played two pieces one from Chopin and one from Debussy.

Martin Sobey, who had been the instigator of the concert, read a piece written by Graham Hill, the racing driver, on his buying a gun and the gear to go shooting. This was written 40 years ago.

His gun cost had him £60 which at today’s prices was reckoned to be in the thousands. Hill wrote that he missed every bird on his first shoot but, the first time he got in his racing car after the shoot, he hit a pheasant.

Frank Robinson, another talented musician from Blackawton, continued the concert with a trombone solo, ‘Nobody does it better’.

Val Phillips followed and delighted all with her rendition of ‘A Nightingale Sang in Berkley Square.’

To round off the first half, Christopher Helyer sang two Devon songs.

During the interval the audience were strengthened by drink while the scene was set for a reading by Joan Kendall, attired in a chicken costume. Puppeteers illustrated the tale of ‘The owl and the Pussy Cat’.

Jonathan Oliverio, another organist for St Michael’s, spoke about his work with “Youth Genesis” and made the Church rock with his two pieces on the piano by Scott Joplin.

Sadly two of three little maids, who were invited back, by popular demand to sing “Three Little Maids from school are we”, succumbed to illness and family commitment, However, a volunteer stepped in to help the rendition.

Mary Heywood delighted with her singing of ‘Home Sweet Home’

Strolling down the aisle came a biker attired in her leathers and crash helmet to do a Samaritan Rap “Bikers aware”.

The audience joined in the choruses from four songs of the United Kingdom, The four ladies who sang each song, wearing the appropriate flag of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, as they sang.

The whole of the audience waved union flags and joined in the Chorus of Rule Britannia. A spokesman for the concert said: “It is a wonder we still have a roof on St. Michael’s Church. I am sure you could hear it down the main road through the village.

The whole evening was compared by John Heywood and David Oldbury was the accompanist on the key board for the whole evening.

The profit from the evening was distributed between, Youth Genesis, The Mayenziwe project and St Michael’s Church.

Sponsors of the concert were Devon County Council, Strete Parish Council, Winkworth Estate Agents, The Royal Castle Hotel and Mrs. J. Hacon.