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 A gala festival of music was what was promised and the event staged at the
Margate Wintergarden on Friday 7th. December, organised by the Provincial
Grand Royal Arch Chapter of East Kent certainly delivered. The music was
provided by the Festival Brass drawing on talents from the Maidstone Citadel
Band and the Sir Joseph Williamson Mathematical School Steel Band. The Kent
Police Male Voice Choir led the singing of carols and in addition sung some
delightful choral numbers under the direction of David Vening ably accompanied
on the piano by Wendy Heaton. The music had a truly international feeling with
traditional carols, American, French and Russian numbers and of course
Caribbean.
The festival was honoured by the presence of a number of special guests in the
persons of the Chairman of Thanet District Council – Cllr John Kirby, the
Mayor and Mayoress of Margate – Cllr Brian Sullivan and Mrs Karen Sullivan,
the Mayor and Mayoress of Ramsgate – Cllr Steve Ward and Ms Pauline Arthur,
the Mayor and Mayoress of Broadstairs – Cllr Jason Savage and Mrs Anne Savage,
also the Grand Superintendents of West Kent (E Comp Jonathan Winpenny) and
Berkshire (E Comp Kenneth Benford) and their wives.
During the interval the Grand Superintendent E Comp Michael Robin Bailey
presented cheques for £750 from the PGM’s Discretionary Award Fund to each of
the three Mayors for their Christmas appeals.
At the end of the splendid evening the Grand Superintendent addressed the 500
strong audience with a Christmas message after thanking the Bands and Choir
for their music, the Wintergarden staff and Provincial Chapter team for making
all the arrangements culminating in a most enjoyable time. Ticket sales,
including those who generously purchased programmes but were not able to
attend, sponsorship and donations raised a total sum of some £6500 towards the
PGM’s Discretionary Award Fund.
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