Stunning talent at the 2018 Wallington Music Festival

   

The sun smiled on the fourth annual Wallington Music Festival as hundreds of people gathered to hear local musical talent perform throughout the day.

The musical feast began in the library with Rhodri Williams playing a selection of popular pieces on the Mallinson Room piano, followed by Willow Rivers performing her own stunning compositions.

At 11.30 the festival moved into the Library Gardens as The Brook Choir opened the show and quickly got the crowd singing along.

The Mayor of Sutton, local councillor Steve Cook and his Lady Mayoress Pauline Cook formally opened the festival at noon, but then the Mayor seated himself behind the drums and played a rocking set as part of the specially formed band The Mayor’s Flares also featuring Andy Brook on guitar. Where else but Wallington!

For the rest of the afternoon the crowds were treated to a range of performances switching between the bandstand and the main stage on the steps of the old Town Hall. List of performers shown further down.

It was a lovely family event. Those who knew what to expect came prepared with blankets and picnics and settled down with their families to enjoy the day. Others wandered in to see what was happening and then stayed, other people came specially to see certain performers.

There was a free activity stall for children to make their own bunting flags, a facepainter, and for the adults a mobile bar provided by the Duke’s Head. The festival had been expanded to use Jubilee Gardens as a food area where the bar was set up alongside street food provided by Chef Arif, The Woodcote Flying Club and Byrnes. Tables and chairs had been arranged under the beautiful tree in Jubilee Gardens which proved to be a great place to chill and still hear the music. The Cafe in the Library Gardens was kept busy as people decided to stay and make a day of it.

At 6pm the performances moved on from the library gardens out to a number of venues around Wallington: The Ginger Frog, The Brook, The Duke’s Head, Cactus Grill, Wallington Arms, The Woodcote Flying Club and Hotrocks. I didn’t get round all the venues but those I did were packed out and rocking.

The range of music was huge from choirs and classical, to jazz, rap, acoustic, folk, rock and pop. Much was original work, and I am sure we have witnessed a number of stars of the future.

People were blown away by the quality of the performers, and we are both proud and lucky that we have such a wealth of talent locally to be able to provide a festival of such a musical high standard.

Much of the reason we can showcase such talent is down to local man Andy Brook, who sources and co-ordinates the performers for the festival. Some of the venues book acts directly, but all liaise with Andy over who is performing where on the day.

A number of local people and businesses work voluntarily to bring the Music Festival together: Ric Adams, Colin Wadeson, Christine Lindsay, Alan Fitter, Andy & Thea Brook, Jean Grima, Chloe Rae, Andrew Langley, Steve and Teresa Green of The Woodcote Flying Club, , Arif Hasan, Emma Waterman from the Duke’s Head, Sally and Nick Byrne, Paul Verlander from Carpenter & Co Solicitors who were our main sponsors this year and Steve, Muhammad and myself as the local ward councillors. (Apologies if there is anyone I have accidently forgotten.)

A special thanks to those businesses that get involved in the organisation of the festival. They put huge amounts of time and effort in, but the rewards are felt by businesses and venues throughout Wallington, as well as providing a great event for the local community. Also thanks to Gary Milsom for providing PA equipment and more, and a special shout out to Thea Brook for being a brilliant MC all day.

But what really makes this now annual fixture a success are the great artists who come and perform for our enjoyment. Here is the list of performers at this year’s festival – look them up on Spotify etc. to hear more of their work:

Acoustic Bliss
Alien Brain
Amelia Langley
Angelica Rincon
Anne Sumner
Annie & the Make Believe
Atlantis
Bel Stubley
Bigworld
Cat Totman
Charlie Ardley
Chebeto Requena
Chloe Ray
Chris Barrat
Chrissy Fuel & the Flames
Dan Davison
Dan Davison
Dragonfly Sky
Eltel
Emily Clair
Ernesto Marichales
Evensong
Gary Mason Charity Drummers
Hank Osasuna
Henry Bravo
Jack Bennett
Jack Flint
J-Catz
Jemma Jenkinson
Jordan Rutland
Kazoom
Kinacho
Lily Otten
Luis Landa
Maya Lane
Michael Alexandra
Oliver Hall
Pat Giles Clarinet Quartet
Paul Captain Watson
Peter Green
Peter Munt
Queen V
Rhodri Williams
Rob Cushman
Scott McFarnon
Scott Roxburgh
Sea Goats
SM6 Jazz Project
South London Sinfonia
St Elpheges Choir
Terry Finch
The Brook Choir
The Mayors Flares
The Reasonable Sips
The Steve Eggs Band
Tom Johnson
Uncle Greedy
Vinny Joe
Willow Rivers
Zero Carbon Band

Our rag-tag bunch of organisers led by Ric Adams is entirely voluntary, wanting simply to share the joy of music with the fabulous Wallington community by putting on an open-to-all local event. We are associated under the name AllinWallington so we can apply for a bit of local grant funding to help with expenses setting up this festival and the Wallington Christmas Festival.

The day went brilliantly, and the atmosphere was great. Best of all no one fell in the pond!

I am sure Ric Adams will have some fabulous pictures of the day that will be posted on the Wallington, Surrey Facebook page so look out for those.

 

 

 

Seniors invited to a Christmas Lunch 12th December 2017

The lovely Wallington Arms is once again inviting our local senior residents to celebrate Christmas with them on Tuesday 12th 

December 2017. The pub will be providing a free festive lunch for Wallington’s older people.

Please do call and reserve your place so the pub knows how many to expect: call 0208 773 0404 or email wallingtonarms@anticlondon.com.

The Wallington Arms has put on a number of free lunch events for our older residents that have been well attended and much appreciated. Their Christmas Lunch is a firm favourite.

Free Seniors Christmas Lunch at Wallington Arms 20.12.16

The lovely Wallington Arms is once again inviting our local senior residents to celebrate Christmas with them on Tuesday 20th December at 1pm. The pub will be providing a free festive lunch for Wallington’s older people.

Please do call and reserve your place so the pub knows how many to expect: call 0208 773 0404.

Since the Wallington Arms took up residence in Wallington it has put on a number of free lunch events for our older residents that have been well attended and much appreciated.

 

Second successful Wallington Music Festival

Organised by the community for the community, our second free music festival set Wallington rocking once again. The sun shone for us, whilst the threatened thunderstorm decided to give Wallington a day off.

The people we need to thank for organising the day are exceptionally modest so I will take this opportunity to make sure they are acknowledged: Ric Adams who had the original idea; Colin Wadeson who ensured we had a bandstand in the Library Gardens in the first place; Andy & Thea Brook from the Brook for booking the bands, arranging PA equipment, acting as MC, letting us meet at their venue and without whom the festival would not be the success it was; Christine Lindsay for her event management skills and expertise; Sue Spenceley Burch for her fabulous design work; Emily Nicholls & the Duke’s Head for their venue and printing flyers; Alan Fitter for organising the food stalls and publicity; Sizzle n Shake, The Woodcote Flying Club, Byrnes  Pie & Eel House, The Brook and the Wallington Arms for hosting musical acts. All of the above and Andrew Langley, Robert Landeryou, Joyce Melican, Carolyn Churchyard, Sally Byrne, Charlie Ardley and my fellow ward councillors Steve & Muhammad for setting up/clearing up or helping plan the event.

I would also like to thank the stalls who provided fantastic food on the day: Byrnes Eel & Pie House, Chef RF, Chilli Chilli Cha Cha, Mosaic not forgetting The Brook mobile bar, Tropical Ice ice cream van and Anna’s – the library cafe. Also thanks to St John’s Ambulance for attending.

And finally thanks to Carpenter & Co Solicitors, The Woodcote Flying Club and Kamsons Pharmacy for sponsoring the event, and Arts Network Sutton and the Gary Mason Charity for also funding us.

But the people who actually delivered the goods on the day were the fantastic musicians themselves, a good few of whom we expect to be hearing a lot more of as their careers take off:

St Elphege’s Choir, Firehorse, The Choir at The Brook, Mr Grimez, Lindsey Simpson, Anne Sumner, Grace Harris, Amelia Langley, Cameron Moon, Nicholas Highton, Paul Captain Watson, Jack Bennet, Tanya Pemberton, Dieselle May, Jenny Lockyer, Dan Davison, Taikonaut, ELTEL, Dystopia, Chloe Ray, Craig Mac, Chris Sheffield, Nina Alawo, Chris Jewell, Lola Young, Scott McFarnon, Baz Francis, Charlie Ardley, McVicker, Papa Ratsy, Front to Back, Neil Mack, Karen Fox, and Wayne Woodward.

Free Seniors Lunch at Wallington Arms 10th June

To help celebrate the Queen’s 90th Birthday the Wallington Arms are once again offering a free lunch for local senior citizens.

It will take the form of an afternoon tea starting at 12 noon on Friday 10th
June.

This will be the third free Seniors Lunch the Wallington Arms have put on and the feedback from those attending has been very positive.

We think it is lovely that a local business is willing to put on these events for our older residents and think it shows just what lovely people we have in Wallington.

For more information and to reserve places call the pub direct on 0208 773 0404

Free Easter Lunch for Wallington Seniors Tuesday 5th April 2016

After the success of their Seniors Christmas Dinner our wonderful Wallington Arms Public House is now putting on a free Easter Lunch for senior Wallington residents.

It takes place on Tuesday 5th April, 12 noon at the Wallington Arms.

We are so pleased at the community spirit of one of our local businesses so please pass on the invitation to your friends and neighbours who might be interested.

For more information and to reserve places please contact the pub direct on 0208 773 0404

Free Christmas Dinner for Wallington Seniors 8th December

Our wonderful Wallington Arms Public House is hosting a free Christmas Dinner for senior Wallington residents.

It takes place on Tuesday 8th December, 3pm at the Wallington Arms.

We think that this is a lovely idea from one of our local businesses so please pass on the invitation to your friends and neighbours who might be interested.

For more information please contact the pub direct on 0208 773 0404