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Last Night of the Proms – on the Farm
Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky will open this year's London Promenade Concerts next weekend, but some 200 miles north, a tiny community in the Aire Valley will be mounting its own version of the Last Night of the Proms.
Called Proms on the Farm, the event is being held in the hamlet of Brunthwaite, east of Silsden, where they are anticipating a record attendance (capacity 1,000).
Rosalie Holroyd, who first came up with the idea, says: "I was looking to raise money for two causes – our Methodist church in Silsden and the Manorlands Hospice.
"The church building is being demolished and our target for funds raised for the new building has almost been met. When we came up with the idea of putting on our own Proms, our minister at the time mentioned that I should have a word with Jean Newns."
Jean's home is Sycamore Farm in Brunthwaite. She has lived at this former mixed farm all her life and her land looks out on a wonderful vista that takes in the peak of Brunthwaite Crag, Silsden and the Aire Valley with the river and the Leeds-Liverpool Canal flowing side by side.
Her farmhouse is a rural hideaway, just off the winding road that heads up into the hills and takes you from Silsden through Addingham High Moor and on to Ilkley.
"Jean had already earned a great reputation for her fantastic garden parties, afternoon teas and coffee mornings," says Rosalie.
"She thought the idea was a bit of a breakaway."
But their Proms on the Farm event has since become a passion for Rosalie and her fellow organisers, one of whom is Jean's daughter, Sylvia Atkinson.
"The council said it's one of the best things to have brought people together over the past six years, and we're really proud of that," says Sylvia.
"Nearly everybody gets involved from local businesses through sponsorship, to the Young Farmers' Clubs and organisations such as
the Soroptomists and Rotarians.
"We had over 60 volunteers assisting last year and we've now increased our capacity from 500 because we have had to turn people away previously."
This year's concert will feature local coronary heart care nurse Sarah Halstead as soloist, singing Proms favourites including Jerusalem and the Yorkshire Building Society brass band will perform other "Last Night" compositions.
There's a local show band (a line-up of village barber, gardener and vermin controller) called For One Night Only and an oompah band.
"The Proms concert brings together people from all walks of life in Silsden and even as far as Australia," says Rosalie. "It has become so popular that people start arriving at two o'clock when the concert doesn't start until 7.30pm.
"They come dressed-up and bring their picnic baskets, candelabra and citronella scented tea lights, to ward off the midges."
Their success is in keeping with the entrepreneurial flair and industrial spirit which has marked Silsden over
the centuries.
Known affectionately as Cobbydale, in acknowledgment of its history in nail-making and clog iron making, there was a time when every local farmer also had his own smithy.
Textiles have also been important here. Between the wars they had over 15 textile mills and Silsden was described as the busiest place in the West Riding where over 75 per cent of residents owned their homes.
Times have changed for Cobbydale and although there is still a reasonably large farming community it is now more of a commuter town. Even if the industrial era of Silsden is long gone, there's no denying the industry of the Proms on the Farm organisers.
n Proms on the Farm, Saturday, July 18 at Sycamore Farm, Brunthwaite, near Silsden. Tickets (10) from the newsagents in Kirkgate, Silsden or on the gate. Children free if accompanied by an adult.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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