crinkle crankling in sudbury, smoked salmon and pop in longford

The first chance I have to post this since a long day in Sudbury on Tuesday.

There are no other primary schools who can boast a crinkle crankle wall wall. The children in Sudbury
thought it was unsung and we spent a good morning visiting the wall - investigating it with all our senses and by the end had written a chorus for a new song. Watch this space!

The afternoon was very pleasantly spent with a group of older adults at the Parish rooms gathering material and memories for a song about Sudbury. I learned that the River Dove is pronounced to rhyme with stove - not love, that Uttoxeter is pronounced Utcheter and that Fred, the ex postman was the boy for a bit of hanky panky on the haycart. And that he can claim that his family has lived in the village for 500 years - longer than the famous Vernons of Sudbury Hall. I also met the marvellous Audrey there - local historian, fount of all knowledge - and who has the other side of the crinkle crankle wall (the really curvy side) in her garden. It's a secret, but she has invited me and the kids from the school to visit her there on Monday. Perhaps we'll sing to her.

Evening and off to local councillor Carol Valentine's house in Longford again.She had arranged for me to meet her together with county councillor Andrew Lewer and Longford based Ashbourne Festival volunteer Cordelia Wesby. All were very pleased that we were working in this rather forgotten part of Derbyshire. Andrew told me all about the Shrovetide football in Ashbourne and I got home and looked it up in Commonground's marvellous book England in Particular. I love these extraordinary, ancient things and traditions you find in the midst of so called ordinary people and places. We all promised to keep in touch and they were keen to be involved in the project in the long term, should we get further funding. The smoked salmon was ace. Who says there are no perks to this job?

Later evening - off to meet Ginty Leedham and the Youth Club she has been running for 17 years now in Longford. The youth clubs down this neck of the woods are all run by volunteers. A group of girls were particularly interested, SATs permitting, to get involved in some song writing in April and May. We might tempt the boys yet. Marston Montgomery Youth Club are also signed up for some songwriting. The members of both clubs seem to be fuelled during the evening by pop, sweets and crisps. Bet they're glad Jamie Oliver has not cottoned onto this yet.

Home at 10.30pm after a 7.30am start. Phew!