Recently, I had the opportunity of revisiting old haunts and joining in playing my flute and sax at a disability day care centre with a group of local musicians in West Somerset, UK, with whom I had often played music in the past.
The venue was the Seahorse Centre in Minehead which we had visited the previous year and where we’d had a great time playing traditional folk tunes to the accompaniment of lots of things to bash and rattle from the audience.
It was wonderful to be playing with old friends again. In fact, it seemed we had never been apart. All the old tunes flowed impeccably and even some new ones I’d learnt more recently in my travels playing folk music in the West of England and North Devon.
The members at this day centre, as always, were wonderful with many memorable conversations in between playing our tunes.
The people who run the Seahorse Centre were wonderful too, always helpful, always attentive to the needs of the people in their care.
I heard how several of the members visit a local railway station on a regular basis to carry out work and help keep the local West Somerset steam train service running.
I saw a lady dancing to our music in a wheelchair with the help of an attendant and lots of smiling happy faces.
We stopped for a short tea break and and enjoyed some minced pies which were very tasty and then finished off with some more Christmas tunes.
Some things have moved on, for example, the lead Piano Accordion player in the local group of musicians has a new instrument which sounds fantastic.
It was a wonderful afternoon, with a mixture of Christmas tunes and traditional folk tunes, made memorable in many ways by the people who were there.
The afternoon of music ended with one of the members of the Seahorse Centre standing up and thanking us with a short speech.
It was wonderful to be with a group of musicians with whom I have often played in the past with much enjoyment but it was also wonderful to be with such a happy group of people at the day centre who are achieving so much despite their disabilities.
Bye for now
Rob
