:: [ Midsummer Big Band Concert, Church Farm, Horne - July 2007 ] ::

SVVS Members attended the Midsummer Big Band Concert at Church Farm in Horne beside the lovely St. Mary's Church. The concert was in aid of the church and attendance was open to the general public. Overall some 300 people came and enjoyed a most pleasant evening. The photos and the text are by Bozi Mohacek. Please click on any thumbnail picture below to see the full size picture.  To return to the  thumbnails,  please click  the  Explorer "Back"  arrow  (top left of screen). 





For a number of years the Surrey Vintage Vehicle Society 'Summer Picnic' has been held at Church Farm in Horne, courtesy of Julie and Bozi Mohacek. This year it was decided to give the SVVS Members a change, and the Picnic will be held in Betchworth. This meant that 'Bozi's Field', as it it is now known, was free other activities, -  and Julie had itchy feet!

     

The Midsummer Big Band Concert was organised by a Committee comprised of St. Mary activists, Julie being a Church Warden, and was in aid of church funds. It  followed the successful Horne Village Fate by only a couple of weeks confirming that the active Parish of Horne has some very willing workers.

     

This was first event in Horne of this nature and it was decided to start at a relatively low key. The concept was to have a few locals having a pleasant evening listening to a raunchy local big band 'The Milestones' while sitting in a pleasant countryside field, watching the sun go down, and having a picnic. The concept grew to include the wider parish and any SVVS members who wished to attend,  - and to have a 'real ale' bar. 

     

In the final analysis, some 300 people attended, to which the SVVS had contributed some lovely cars. To help in making the field a more interesting environment, SVVS Members were requested to come in their 'proper' cars and to park along the outside as was normal for the SVVS Picnic. 20 proper cars were there. 

     

The gates were open at 6pm for people to come in and set up their tables and chairs.  Some people had come earlier in the day to set up including putting up gazebos. Many mutual friends came in largish groups and arranged themselves into full 'dinner tables' with all appropriate accompaniments. Most however came in family groups, many babies and toddlers, sitting in garden chairs and with 'collapsing' tables. 

     

A complete separate field was set aside for supervised car parking. Interesting learning curve for the orginisers which included getting various official and police permissions, bar licenses, insurances and the attendance of St Johns Ambulance. The Bar was peppered with all manner of legislative notices. Everything by the book ! 

     

The Milestones Big Band is comprised of some 20 musicians and three singers many of which attended this venue. Some of the band members have a direct connection with St Mary's Church, including the regular organist Steve Beardshall. Steve did much of the setup and organisational work for the band.  The Band were housed on a stage in a marquee. The field has a natural amphitheatre slope so that all visitors had a good view of the band. The amplification was impressive but kept down a bit so as not to disturb the neighbours (- not sure why, because most of the neighbours were there !).  

     

The concert commenced at 7pm by which time most visitors had arrived and were well into imbibing their picnics and 'dinners'. The evening was very light well into the night and included a beautiful 'red sky at night' sunset. The young contingent got stuck into dancing early on, and many oldies, having wined and dined, got up and joined in the dancing. 

     

Darkness did not fall until about 10 o'clock and floodlighting was not necessary until the music stopped at 10.30 when people started packing up and going to their cars. The evening remained pleasantly warm and only the odd pullie was needed. It also remained nice and dry, although the heavens opened up later in the early hours.

     

Many thanks to the SVVS contingent for coming and for bringing their cars. It was interesting to note that we had more members at this event than we sometimes get at some of our regular meets. The wider Mohacek clan didn't have to put in much effort to bring in a few of their cars. One of the Band members came in his Morgan. Ex farmer Hon Chairman Derek Wright appropriately came in the Land Rover and Brian Rice came in the Spitfire.

     
Julian Alderton came in the MG Y but without Thelma, Derek Bashford came in the Magnette, Jon Quiney in the Triumph Roadster, Tony Tester in the Chrysler, Leo Smith in the Bentley 3 litre, David Smart in another Bentley 3 Litre, and Bob Drew in the Moggy.

     
Gordon Self came in his new MGB, Michel Gosset in his French Jaguar Mk 7, and Hon Ed, Colin Mulford in his MG TF. We were also very pleased to see our President Mike Erroll and wife Dianne who came in a modern. Dianne was looking smashing and it was nice to see her out and about again ! 

     

  

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