Sunday 24 July 2016

Another soaraway success for Proms on the Farm

The 13th annual Proms on the Farm on July 23 was an amazing success, setting records for attendance and income. As the picture above indicates, hundreds took advantage of the heatwave to enjoy themselves and raise money for the Manorlands hospice and for Silsden Methodist Church's community work.  More than 1,000 people attended and £18,000 was raised, before expenses. Over the years the event, which is held at Sycamore Farm, Brunthwaite, has grossed £144,000 for the two causes.
Above: more tea, vicar? A pop-up Silsden WI was among the fun ideas for gazebos. For Women's Institute, read "We're Inventive." 
Above: the Blues brothers and sisters introduced the new Bluesmobile.
Above: the Best Dressed Gazebo accolade went to this ever ambitious group of friends from Bingley, who have taken part in all but a few of the Proms. Their seaside theme proved popular with youngsters from neighbouring gazebos.  
Above: the hot weather also prompted these friends to make a splash with a beach theme. Left to right are Philip and Ann Roberts, Dave Scargill and Amy Pascall  and Deb and Simon Wilson.
Above: from Brunthwaite to Bali with Silsden barber Jeff Walbank (kneeling left), his wife Gill (holding their grandson) and family and friends.
Above: cheers to a good time. Left to right are Katy Van Suilichem, Charlotte Hyde, Kate Parker, Jo Gill, Melissa Dobson and Jo Munt.
Above: Keighley Rotary Club members came dressed for the charleston. From left are Janet Pickles, who is a past president, president Marie Hickman, vice-president Nancy Holdsworth and Liz Joyce.


The event was opened by Silsden Town Mayor Peter Robinson, who is pictured above with his wife, Alison (fifth from left), and  members of the Proms team (left to right) Sylvia Atkinson, Rosalie Holroyd, Fiona Hanson, Dale Gatenby, John Lohan and Stewart Hanson.
The evening's musical entertainment was provided by the Sultans of Swing (pictured above), the Ripon City Band with Sarah Halstead as soloist and 1960 Four, the covers rock band previously known as the Big Bang.
Above: a reet royal Yorkshire tea party was in full swing with Bib and Tony Bailey and friends.
Above: you can't have proms without patriotism whether at the Royal Albert Hall or at Sycamore Farm. 
Above: red, white and blue was much in evidence.
Above: left to right are Jo and Alex Gill, Heather and Lee Langthorne and Jon and Sharon Grimshaw. Their gazebo had an Olympics theme.

Above: young Olympians, left to right, are Lucie Gill, Alden Grimshaw, Lewis Langthorne, Finley Thompson, Marissa Langthorne and George Grimshaw.

Above: sunshine smiles from the ladies (left to right) Zoe Hooper and sisters Julie Summersgill and Lynne Chapman, and the lads Neil Summersgill (left) and Alan Chapman.
Above: Silsden AFC line-up. President Barry Thomas (centre) is pictured with Lee Taylor (left), who is vice-chairman of the junior section, and the club's general secretary, Peter Hanson.
Above: Rosalie Holroyd is pictured with Martin Hall, musical director of the Ripon City Band, which is a finalist in this year's national brass band championships.
Above: left to right are Kath Davy and Ian and Elizabeth Hemsworth.


Above: family flower power. Left to right are Melissa Dobson and Kate, Jason and Joyce Kilvington.
Above: it's the gospel truth -- only one of these cheerful clerics is genuine. The Rev David Griffiths (centre), Vicar of St James' Church, is pictured with irreverent reverends left to right Neil Wilson, Andrew Buckler, Phil Binns and Jonathan Smithies.
Above: this Dutch flag was flown by John and Corrie Sunderland (left), to signify family ties with Holland. Their friends Mary and Michael Binns displayed the Yorkshire White Rose flag and the New Zealand flag, which they flew with reference to their son, Adam, who lives with his family in Dunedin in the south island.
Above and below: the joy of good company, good weather and good music. And support for good causes.