Busy Weekend for the Tars

The weekend of 14/15 September was a busy one for the Tars. 

Saturday afternoon we sang at Cargreen Regatta on a beautiful sunny afternoon. It was reported that we could be heard at Weir Quay on the other side of the Tamar! Thanks to Cargreen YC for an excellent gazebo and sound rig. We look forward to returning, particularly if you can replicate the weather.

Sunday was the Plymouth Seafest which was a popular and crowded event. Various venues around the Barbican including the main stage. Tars a bit lite but coped fine.

Cockwood Shanty Festival

Congratulations to the tiny village of Cockwood for organising their first Shanty Festival-six friendly venues and more than thirty shanty crews. 

An enjoyable event. Well done Cockwood!
 

What we've been up to...and 2023 outlook!

We have been quite active during the autumn and winter. We sang at the Festival of Remembrance at Bere Ferrers in November and we have done a number of school visits, two more retirement home visits (with excellent RNLI fundraising), a private party and the Wassailing evening in Bere Ferrers. A planned session at Cotehele at Christmas had to be cancelled due to the weather as did a planned visit to the Cargreen Yacht Club Regatta due to the mourning period for the late Queen.

We suffered a great loss with the passing of Robin who was a founding member of the Tars. We are very fortunate that Jane continues to be a major part of the Tars to organise us and keep us in order!

Plans are shaping up well for 2023 with the next event being a singalong event in the Olde Plough on 17 February.  More school visits and events are in the pipeline along with visits to Shanty Festivals at Cockwood Harbour and of course Falmouth.

We continue to have practice sessions most Wednesdays at either the Bere Ferrers Social Club and the Stannary Arms in Tavistock. Everybody is welcome to come along and listen any time. 

Fundraiser at Lamerton Church

 In early September the Tars did a fund raiser at Lamerton Church. It was a well attended evening and £300 was raised for the RNLI as well as money for the church funds.

The organisers did a good job generating support for the event as well as keeping Tars fed and watered-thank you.

Tavistock Sensory Garden Party

 At the end of July, Tars were delighted to be asked to perform at the Sensory Garden Party.

An enthusiastic audience joined us for a rousing set of songs of the sea. We got this nice thank you poster too!

Sunny RNLI Fundraiser at Noss Mayo

Tars were  delighted to return once again to the river Yealm for an RNLI fund raising event on 5th May. It was a perfect evening in the warm sunshine outside the Swan Inn at Noss Mayo. 

The event was a complete sellout.  Not sure of the final figure but plenty of money was raised and Tars were delighted to donate their fee to the evening too.  Congratulations to the Swan Inn and the Yealm YC for a successful evening.

Photo by Rosie Hinge

Tavy Tars Big Gig at Hyde Park Junior School

On November 4, the Tavy Tars were sang for the largest and most appreciative audience they have had for some while! We paid a visit to Hyde Park Junior School in Plymouth. Year 2 at the school have been working on topics about the sea, and the Tars were invited to join them to sing a few shanties and also tell them a bit about shanty singing.

The Tars were really impressed how well-behaved all the 90 children were – but also that they were all so enthusiastic in joining in some of the choruses and actions. All credit to teacher Hannah Brown and her colleagues at Hyde Park School.

Some of the children gave us their ideas about ‘what they would do with the Drunken Sailor’. So the misbehaving seaman might face a lion, a hamster and being licked all over by a puppy (why not? That could be a salutary lesson for some sailors…).

According to Hannah “the children (and adults) absolutely loved it and haven't stopped talking about it. It was great to see them all engaged, laughing and enjoying themselves after such a tricky year or so.” So a fun time was had by all – including the Tavy Tars. Who needs the Albert Hall when you’ve got 90 keen 6 and 7 year olds singing along with you?

We cannot show photos of the event, but we love some of the thank you letters we have been sent.

Tars Lite at Teign Shanty and Maritime Festival

 

Photo courtesy of Rosie Hinge

Tars were definitely the lite version for this festival on Saturday 4 September for several different reasons.  Nevertheless the sun shone, the  crowds turned out and we got good audiences.  The festival was very well organised and thanks are due to the organizers for their planning efforts in a difficult Covid climate. As we wandered around we were reminded that Teignmouth is a really pleasant seaside town with loads of facilities to enjoy.

Singing at 125th Birthday of Tamar Barge 'Lynher'

Images courtesy of Mel Peters

The Tamar barge the Lynher has been moored at Cotehele Quay for a week with public access and entertainment.  This was to celebrate her 125th birthday very close to where she was built in Calstock.

The weather was fair, visitors were out in force and the Tars were proud to do an afternoon set on board.

The Lynher has a great local history and you can learn much more here.

Our thanks to the owners and in particular for their help for some in negotiating the narrow gang plank with gear without mishap😀.

Tars on the Quay

This evening the Tars did a socially distanced practice session on Bere Ferrers Quay. A socially distanced group of local supporters turned out. Being such a beautiful evening with HW at 20:00 there were a lot of boats on the water.  Whilst we were singing ‘Take me in Your Lifeboat’ a load of kayakers came along to listen and clap along! No kayakers were in trouble at this time and thankfully no lifeboat needed.