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Devon Squeezebox Foundation

Their mission: "to promote and encourage the learning and playing of music, primarily from the English tradition, on squeezeboxes in Devon and the West Country." Sounds grand doesn’t it? Devon Squeezebox Foundation Update
Ed Rennie (from the Bismarcks) has got together with a group of like-minded folk and community music enthusiasts, Annie Rennie, Mark Bazeley (from the Dartmoor Pixie Band), Colin Andrews and Alan Quick. Together they have formed the Devon Squeezebox Foundation.

This is a new Not For Profit Organisation set up to promote and encourage the learning and playing of music, primarily from the English tradition, on squeezeboxes in Devon and the West Country.

1-2-1 Melodeon Tuition
Ed Rennie, lead tutor with the Devon Squeezebox Foundation, is currently teaching melodeon to a number of people on a 1-2-1 basis at their homes. The advantage from the students' point of view is the courses are tailored to their needs and progress at their pace and they get to stay at home in the warm and dry and Ed does all the running about in the cold and dark! Ed has a number of students he visits once a month in the West Dartmoor/Plymouth area (Mary Tavy to Saltash). He has capacity to take on some more students in the area, so if you would be interested to learn the melodeon at home with Ed eMail - Melodeon hire also available.

Instrument Hire
Thanks to the generosity of the West Country Concertina Players, we have been loaned a number of English Concertinas which are available for hire in conjunction with the workshop series. It's a great opportunity to really try out an instrument with tuition to see if it suits before actually buying one. We also have a number of D/G melodeons for hire with the Devon Melodeon Project, once again giving the opportunity to try before you buy. Both Devon Squeezebox Foundation and The West Country Concertina Players would like to thank the National Lottery who provided the funds to purchase these instruments. Monthly workshops for English Concertina, Melodeon and Piano Accordion for all levels from absolute beginners upwards. AND we have a number of English concertinas and melodeons for hire, so if you fancy learning but have no instrument, no worries! For More information, call Ed on 01363 774426 eMail or visit the website

Wren Trust
Wren is a Devon based music organisation. "We go out to people, we listen to what they want and see what's going on and we make things happen". The work that the Wren Trust is involved includes:

 

Workshops Music & Song
Education
Open Access Performance Groups
Community Arts Development Projects
Wren Concerts, Performances & Dance
Baring-Gould Festival & Study Break
Publications and Merchandise
Oral History and Folk Music collecting

Visit website

Halsway Manor - Somerset

Friends of Halsway Manor 200 Club
Halsway Manor is a splendid Tudor manor north of Taunton, which is run by the Halsway Manor Society Ltd (a registered charity) and exists to promote English folk song and dance. It has major plans afoot to develop its facilities and make it an even better centre for these activities. The 'Friends' club was set up by Guildford folk dancers in 1989 to support the society, and it's now being run by a committee based in Dorset/Devon folk dance clubs. More info can be found on the Halsway Manor website, or at Bridport Ceilidhs

To join the club costs a mere £12.00 per year, half of which goes to the manor and the rest in prizes. We are currently re-building membership, now at 115,  with a target of 200 by mid-year. Many with an interest in the folk world, now and in the future, may benefit from the work done by organisations such as HMS Ltd and it would be great to reach and exceed our target in support by increasing club representation amongst 'folkies' here in the south-west.

Halsway Manor, National Centre for the Folk Arts Halsway Lane, Nr Crowcombe, Somerset TA4 4BD - Tel: 01984 618274
eMail - website
Halsway Manor is the UK's only residential centre for traditional folk music, dance, song and crafts; it caters for groups throughout the year.
A Grade 2* listed manor house on the slopes of the Quantock Hills, its history goes back over a thousand years. It has been run as a folk music centre for over 40 years.

Halsway Manor offers a unique setting for conferences, wedding receptions, business meetings as well as folk events.

The Manor dates from medieval times and is set in its own grounds on the edge of the Quantock Hills, 15 to 20 minutes drive from the County Town of Taunton with its main line station and M5 motorway link to London.

Halsway Clubs

Folk Camps
Folk Camps as an organisation has been running now for over 40 years. The camps much smaller than festivals and run on DIY principles but are just as much fun. The chances are that some of you may even have attended a folk camps in the past.

Folk Camping is ideal for Morris dancers and their families and provides a holiday which encompasses music, dancing - not just Morris - and many more activities with like-minded people. More information from Folk Camps Website