Diary entries
In celebration of Burns Night, here is a recording o 92 year old veteran Joe Hoadley performing the Scottish folk song, ‘The Scottish Soldier’ on his harmonica, at a music night organised on behalf of The London Taxi Benevolent Association for the War Disabled in Holland in 2014. Och eye the noo!
Categories: Diary
<p><a href=”https://vimeo.com/132817217″>Chalke Valley History Festival Victory Ball</a> from <a href=”https://vimeo.com/user5326671″>janet hodgson</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a>.</p> A few clips filmed (very low-budget!) during the VICTORY PARTY at the Chalke Valley History Festival, attended by the London Taxi Benevolent Association for the War Disabled, who transported several WW2 veterans to the event in Wiltshire in June 2015. Music was provided by the Bombshell Belles and the wonderful London Swing Orchestra, with whom veteran Danny McCrudden sang a few numbers to the great delight of the crowd. […]
Categories: Diary
Lat Saturday, the London Taxi Benevolent Association for the War Disabled escorted a group of WW2 veterans, plus entourage, to the small but perfectly formed Chalke Valley History Festival in Wiltshire, where all things historical are celebrated and explored. It all came about following a chance meeting last year between myself and all-round WW2 expert and historian James Holland, who I told about the charity and how I’d been arranging events where the veterans sing. Since I began working with the charity several years […]
Categories: Diary
Last year, I was lucky enough to meet dashing TV historian and all-round World War II expert James Holland, who is also Co-Chair and Programme Director for the Chalke Valley History Festival, taking place this week in Wiltshire. When I told him about my involvement with the taxi charity, and particularly about the musical shenanigans, he got very excited, even more so when I told him about the wonderful singing voice of Danny McCrudden. Over the last year we cooked up a […]
Categories: Diary
Following an invitation from Donald Smith, Director of Exhibitions at Chelsea Space, artist Peter Fillingham and myself were delighted to take part in an event at Chelsea College of Art on Armistice Day, 11th November 2014. In partnership with the charity The London Taxi Benevolent Association for the War Disabled, who were invited to bring along a group of World War II veterans, this was an event that addressed issues of commemoration within contemporary society. A fleet of London Black Cabs brought veterans to the imposing Parade Ground […]
Categories: Diary
Here is a medley of songs recorded in The Coach and Horses in Soho last Saturday, when the veterans came to the pub for a pint and a sing-song around the piano, all much to the delight and amazement of those who found themselves in the pub at the same time. What a heart-warming and uplifting event it was – both for the veterans and all the punters. Friends were made, hands were shaken, a few tears were shed. At […]
Categories: Diary
If you go down to The Coach and Horses in Soho on Saturday 4th October from 2.30PM, you’ll be greeted by a group of World War II veterans, all in their late 80’s and early 90’s, getting together for a sing-song around the piano at this historic London pub. Expect to hear everything from ‘Maybe it’s because I’m a Londoner’, ‘Impossible Dream’, to ‘The Good Life’. The veterans will be on hand to share their tales about singing in wartime, especially if you buy them a nice […]
Categories: Diary • Tags: Fun Palace, Singing
I popped down to Blackfriars Station last Friday to meet up with the taxi charity, whose collectors – a group of mainly WW2 veterans – were busy raising money for the next charity trip. During a break in the wonderful pub, The Blackfriar, a few of the veterans started singing…and carried on in the station. I am very pleased to hear that since the veterans have started singing during their collections, the takings have gone up considerably!
Categories: Diary
