Sandy Ukulele Group

St Nicolas Church Restoration Group

Wood Farm

Kimbolton Road

Hail Weston

St Neots

Cambs PE19 5LA

11^th November 2023

To the Members of Sandy Ukulele Group

The Ukulele Concert, St Nicolas Church, Hail Weston

Thank you all so much for coming to play for us last night. It was a magical evening, and we thoroughly enjoyed it. It was so lovely to see the audience joining in, singing, waving their arms in time to the music, and greatly enjoying the banter with you all. It was a wonderful concert with which to re-open the church after it had been closed for so long because of the restoration work.

I understand that the concert was the main topic of discussion this morning when the village gathered for the Remembrance Service in the Memorial Garden, and everyone was saying how much they had enjoyed it, and what a fun evening it had been. A lady stopped me later in the day to say how sorry she was to have missed a brilliant evening. I am not sure who had told her about it, but she seemed to have all the details!

As you played last night, your music brought back so many wonderful memories, and I am sure that I was not the only one who enjoyed a nostalgic look back at a (happily) misspent youth when some of those songs came up.

It was fascinating to hear about the different types of Ukulele, and the sounds of the individual instruments. Thank you for taking the time to explain as most of us had never heard a Ukulele Group play live before, and we were intrigued at the wide range of music that you can play.

One friend said to me as she left the church last night “I had no idea what to expect tonight as I have never heard a Ukulele Group before. The whole evening has been an absolute blast and I have not had so much fun for a very long time.” I think she spoke for us all!

May I wish you and all your members a rather early, but very ‘Happy Christmas’, and thank you very much again for coming and playing for us. It is a night that we will all remember with the greatest of pleasure.

With best wishes

Anne-Marie Hamilton

Chairman

Hitchin Town Football Club Cheese and Cider Festival Friday 1st July 2022

Hello Brian ( Sandy Ukulele Group)

I hope that I find you well.

Thank you and your group members for a wonderful performance at our festival. It’s always a very enjoyable experience.

I have reproduced below a letter that I have sent to the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance and the Garden House Hospice that I thought I’d share with you.

Thank you very much for your suggestion and donation.

I have pencilled in a date for the 2023 Festival which is the 30th June/1st July. It would be great if we could see you all once again.

Kind regards

Alan

============================================

Dear sir/madam

We recently held a Cider and Cheese Festival at the Canary Club, Hitchin Town Football Club where we operated a token card system for attendees by which they were able to purchase their cider. The cards cost £10 each and if there were any unused tokens remaining on their cards when they left, a cash refund could be claimed. They were also invited to donate any unused tokens to charity instead of claiming the cash.

This year our kind customers donated £74. Added to this fine amount, The Sandy Ukulele Group kindly donated their fee for performing at the festival.

We decided to split the total between the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance and the Garden House Hospice.

Please find enclosed a cheque for £74.

Yours faithfully

Langford Ladies Group, Langford 9th June 2022

Thankyou very much for the wonderful concert you gave us at Langford Chapel on Thursday night. It was very much appreciated by all who came and all remarked what a good evening it was. I think everybody went home singing the songs and feeling very happy that they had come. For some it was the first time they had been out to such a gathering since covid. Thank you for making their first trip out so positive. I hope you will be able to grace us with you presence again. Please pass on this email to all in the group.

Till next time,

Joan Rutt.

Colin Osbourne Leprosy Mission Friday 6th May 2022

Letter received 8th May. Dear Sandy Ukulele Group

Thank you so very much to both yourself and all the members of the Sandy Ukulele Group for a wonderful Concert on Friday evening 6th May. I've had a number of people express just how much they enjoyed it. A fantastic sum of £525 was raised towards our project this year supporting the research laboratory at Anandaban Hospital in Napal.

Again gratful thanks Colin.

Email received from Colin Osborne. Re Leprosy Mission Gig Friday 26th July

Dear Brian, “We had a truly wonderful evening last night with the Sandy Ukulele Group and it was great to have a full house and an appreciative audience. Our special guests were the High Sheriff of Bedfordshire, Meryl Dolling and her husband Michael and the Mayor and Mayoress of Sandy, Councillor Michael and Lynda Scott. As he left, Michael Dolling said that it was the best five pounds he had spent in a long time. The Concert was one of several special anniversary events the Sandy Branch of The Leprosy Mission is holding this year as it celebrates 50 years of fundraising in Sandy. The Branch is extremely grateful to the Ukulele Group and, as a result, a fantastic £555 was raised by the Concert. The Branch this year is attempting to raise £20,060 to fund five hospital beds with associated medical care at the leprosy hospital just outside Kathmandu in Nepal.”

Best wishes

Colin

British Legion , The Orange Tree, Baldock 16th Nov 2018

Thank you so very very much for another brilliant evening. If possible can we book you again for Friday 15 November 2019 Thank you again .. Janice

Hitchin Town Football Club. Cheese and Cider Festival 14t July 2018

I would just like to thank you and your excellent group of enthusiastic musicians for their great performance at the Hitchin Town Football Club Cider and Cheese Festival recently.
Everybody enjoyed the performance and if we hold the event again we will definitely ask you to come back. Alan

Dear Sandy Ukulele Group

Thank you so much for coming along to the Potton CIU Club on Saturday, and providing such an entertaining evening to raise money for Keech Hospice Care. Please can you convey our thanks to all your group members.
Despite it being a very busy day with the Royal wedding and football we still had a good number of people supporting the event, albeit some were late arriving!
The total raised from Ticket sales and Raffle was an amazing £249 .45.
Thank you once again.
Best Wishes Jane Saturday 19th May 2018

Sandy Ukulele Group email received Tues 8th reference Sunday 6th May 2018

Both our French guests from Malaunay and members of the Sandy twinning Association were delighted with Sunday evening's musical entertainment at Moggerhanger Village hall and a brilliant evening was had by all. The French song added a particularly appropriate flavour to the evening but it was great that there were so many songs all could join in regardless of nationality.

Our visitors from Normandy very much hope, as do members of the Association, that the

Sandy Ukulele group will accompany us to Malaunay next May and give another virtuouso performance on French soil.

Best regards, Max H Sandy Twinning Association

For the attention of Sandy Ukulele Group

Thank you so much for all of your support with Jai at the Taj Mahal in Sandy. I have heard that the charity curry nights was a great success, and that the diners loved listening to you play.

I know that you made a very kind donation on the evening and I would really like to thank you formerly for you generosity and wonderful support.

Keech Charity Sarah.

We should like to express our gratitude to yourself for your efforts and the group for attending our celebrations on Saturday last. We enjoyed ourselves enormously and we have had so many good reports from our guests. One of our number, a former RAF musician and school music teacher, admitting it was not his style of music , was delighted to see the way the group seemed to have so much fun in what they were doing. He made the point that, unlike some, the music was not overpowering and guests could make conversation as normal.

Special thanks to Godfrey and Andrew for their clever musical interlude, it all made for a perfect evening.

Thanks to all..

Chris and Mary. Golden wedding Sat 25th November 2017

Dear Brian and the UKULELE group

Thank you so much for a fantastic evening. Everyone has come back and said to us what a brilliant night they all had. For me it was also a first for a ukulele and its music, as it was for everyone else to. You were fab to say the least. Words cannot express what a most exciting musical extravaganza. FAb Fab FAB.

It was also lovely to talk with some of the group. We didn't get around to speaking with everyone but i did speak with Sylvia. I have myself a real love and passion for music and singing so thank you to for letting me join in with you. It was on my part a real pleasure and honour to sing with you all. Thank you.

Thank you once again

From everyone at The Royal British Legion Baldock Branch, and all the people from the Poppy Appeal dinner.

janice xx

Saturday 18th November 2017 Held at The Orange Tree, Baldock

I am emailing you to let you know that the performance of The Sandy Ukulele Group, on Sunday, was great!

Your playing and singing all fitted in so well with the guests and with the tea itself. Everyone, especially me, had a really great time!

Lets hope we do it again, next year. Please pass on our thanks to all the members of the group kind Regards, Mick Andrews

On behalf of the Wrestlingworth Goodwill Fund Committee. (Sunday 23rd April)

On behalf of us all I am writing to thank you and all the players for such an enjoyable evening last Monday. Your group really lifted the spirits of everyone, which made it one of the most enjoyable social evenings we have during the year.
We were also very pleased to know that the donation we were very happy to make as a token appreciation of your efforts found a "good home" with Canine Partners.
I would also like to take this opportunity of confirming our date as the 11th December 2017.
With very best wishes to you all . Ian

The Ivel Stroke Club. (Received 23rd September 2016)

Hi Brian, What a great evening, well done all of you. I assist with the folk in the bus, getting them to the venue and home, and there was a lot of talk on the way home as to how much they enjoyed the evening. Then for me to be given the cheque for Canine Partners was truly wonderful. Please have a look at the web to see just what these dogs do for folk. I have one with me in training called Sandy. I need to have your home address so that I can send you and the group a letter of thanks, so please email me your address. A huge thanks to all the group

Ray... Puppy Parent for Canine Partners. The Ivel Stroke group, Sandy. 19 Sept 2016

"John and I would like to thank you for your entertaining renditions of popular rock and roll! It was very much appreciated by your audience and the
staff (John and I)! Please feel free to use this comment on your website and the photos and video John gave you.
We are having a website constructed for the March Hare and possibly a facebook page. Would it be possible to include a couple of these pictures
and video on the new website and facebook?
If you would like to come back and play again at our pub you may wish to consider one of the following dates"

John and Janice, March Hare, Dunton. 14th May

"Hello Sandy Ukulele group Thanks to all the Ukulele players for giving us such a fun filled evening. We are really looking forward to your concert next year. The three of us have already told the Vicar she missed a good time. I believe I read that you are playing in St Neots in July. If you want to check out the Church let me know so that I can open it up for you. Once again many thanks for inviting us to your practise night" Regards Alison R (St James Church )

"Dear Sandy Ukulele Group On behalf of the Ivel Stroke Club I am writing to thank You all for coming to play to us on Monday evening. I think you could judge by the reaction from all of us everyone so enjoyed your performance and in due course would like to take you up on your offer of coming again. I would have liked to send a card/letter but in the world we live in hope this email will do. Apart from that I don't have an address for you !! With our thanks again and very best wishes to you all" Ian Ivel Stroke Club

"I think it is us who must thank you all for coming making a truly happy evening. I was even approached yesterday evening asking if we can book you again for next year! Have a (not too) Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year" Elizabeth (Gamlingay WI)

"Thank you Brian, we really enjoyed the performance you all gave. I think you guys were excellent. It was a good laugh. We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy new year. Keep up the good work - Jai" Taj Mahal Restaurant Dec 21 (Sandy)

"Many thanks for your excellent performance last night. Your talent and humour were much appreciated by all at Millfield Park"

Huntingdon. April 2016.

"Dear Brian, all the members of The Evergreen Club thank you and the members of your group for coming along to our Birthday celebration last Friday and providing such brilliant entertainment.
You chose a great sing a long programme, perfect for our Club, and it was lovely to hear some of our favourites again.
You are such a friendly entertaining group, we wish you all the best for the future and please let everyone who came along know how much we appreciated them. Best wishes"

The Evergreen Club. Great Gransden. March 2016

SANDY UKULELE GROUP

Graham Wilkes Private party 13/4/2019

Many many thanks for entertaining my guests at my 50th at the Swan in Bedford last night they all loved it, so much so that i made the decision to keep you playing for an extra half hour.
You were all brilliant
Graham.

Graham Wilkes Private party 13/4/2019

Many many thanks for entertaining my guests at my 50th at the Swan in Bedford last night they all loved it, so much so that i made the decision to keep you playing for an extra half hour. You were all brilliant Graham.

Many many thanks for entertaining my guests at my 50th at the Swan in Bedford last night they all loved it, so much so that i made the decision to keep you playing for an extra half hour.
You were all brilliant
Graham.