Drumming up support for town music festival

The event ran successfully between 2006-9 but didn’t manage to fully get off the ground in 2010. However, 2011 promises to be a massive month-long festival.

Organiser Tony Mansi said: “We are deliberately getting out our message very early - that the Bexhill Festival of Music will be here next year, bigger and better than the town has even seen. It is a celebration of music.

“We are planning events for the whole month of June, and ideally we want between 15-20 different items to promote. It really is anything musical - it could be choirs, it could be classical, it could be rock, reggae, street busking in Devonshire Square, opera in a hotel or a restaurant, we don’t mind what, as long as it is music.

“We will plan three big events, including we hope the Syd Lawrence Orchestra, but we want the rest to originate from churches, groups and community organisations from within the Bexhill community.

“So now is the come to contact us and say that you want to be involved. We want this to become a huge community event for Bexhill, and we want to give the town a major boost next summer.”

Bexhill Festival of Music is a registered charity and its objectives are:

• To further Bexhill’s identity as a cultural destination

• To celebrate the rich talent in the community

• To engage education as a core element

• To bring world class performers

• To increase local and regional tourism

• To strengthen the economic impact within the town.

“The message is simple. We want local groups to call me and express an interest. It could be a church group, Rotary club, anybody. As long as it’s musical we want to be involved,” said Mr Mansi.

Bexhill High has already pledged its support. Principal Mike Conn, a festival trustee, said: “We have a brand new theatre here plus a huge heart area in the centre of our school, and we are keen to play a leading role. I am sure that the Bexhill Consortium of Schools will pledge its support too.

“This really could be a massive event for Bexhill. If you are reading this and you want to be involved, please contact Tony. It can only be successful if the community plays its part.”

To find out more, contact Tony Mansi on [email protected] or call Tony on 01424 845715.