Choir and band hit high note at charity concert

THE town of Dewsbury, where I grew up, has being having a bad time in recent years, what with the dereliction of the town centre and market place and also there seems to be ghettos wherever 
you go in the surrounding suburbs.

But on Saturday May 11 I went to a concert on behalf of local charities given by the Skelmanthorpe Male Voice Choir and West Yorkshire Police Band in the old town hall where 65 years ago my friends and I used to go dancing.

What an excellent evening it was, the musical director of the choir Jane Hobson and the leader of the band Captain Gary Clegg did us proud.

The dress of the band and choir are to be commended, as well as the soloists Ben and Mike Percival, also Ian Schofield.

It was nice to hear the National Anthem played at the start of the concert.

In recent months the West Yorkshire Police have been getting a bit of earache, as we say in Yorkshire, but I can recommend the Police Band to everybody.

The only downside to the evening was the fact that not enough people attended the event. It was announced at the end of the evening that over £2,000 had been raised.

The three charities to receive a donation were the Howland Centre for the Disabled, Dewsbury Women’s Health Group and Dewsbury Women’s Refuge.

Well done to the organisers, the band and choir and to the public who attended.