Worthing Local Group Report - Thursday October 2nd 2025

Singers assembled at the Barn early for the SDFS Annual General Meeting - before our usual singing session. There had been a number of apologies - including Emily who was very sorry not to be there, but needs at home prevented her from joining us.  The meeting comprised singers from all three of our Local Groups - and it proved to be a busy one, with various topics up for discussion in addition to the usual annual reports and elections.  Thank you to everyone for their contributions. 

After a break, our singing started a bit later than estimated, but we still had time enough for Alan and Amaryllis to turn our attention towards songs for the winter and festive season. 

With plans in mind for our performance at the Weald and Downland Museum's Advent Market on November 23rd, Alan led us for "Falmer Carol"; "When It's Christmas Time"; "Field Mouse Carol"; "Pentonville" and, by popular demand, "Sweet Chiming Bells".  None have been sung by us as a group since this time last year, but they were revived with relative ease, especially the last two favourites.  Alan's survey of singers present demonstrated that not all knew "Season's Turn"- nor did they have the lyrics available. (They are on the SDFS Blog).  So we did not sing it, but added it to the 'need to learn' list - for more use next year we hope.  He then sang for us "Sing We the Virgin", which was appreciated, but generally not favoured as an addition to our performance songs at this time.  

Amaryllis took the reins for "Friendly Beasts", set to her new calypso style tune, with all singers together highlighting the "I" start to each verse.  Whilst singing, the rhythm led some to add 'dooby doos' in the intervals between the verses - resulting in a slightly jazz feel to the song as well.  This was liked and taken up for all to do together - using a finger click immediately following each one (Doo,click - Bdoo, click - Bdoo,click - Bdoo,click).  (This has now been added to the "Other Songs to Try" page on our Blog).  

Our singing for the evening concluded with "The Woodcutters Song", with Amaryllis leading and keeping up a brisk and bright pace with the warming vigour of a winter walk!  And on that posiitive note we headed home on a not at all chilly early autumn evening - with more winter and festive songs to look forward to at our November session.  Thanks all.   

H

Chichester Local Group Report - Thursday September 18th 2025

11 singers attended the Chichester Inn kindly led by Dave G on this occasion.
 
At Dave’s request, Henny updated the group on forthcoming events – cancellation of Petworth in view of bad timing and confirmation that the Weald & Downland event was still scheduled and essential wrist bands would be issued in due course.
 
Following this, the group of eleven launched into the first of eleven songs!  "Country Life" was the usual good opening number with advice from Dave to keep it sprightly but ensure words could still be heard.  Ale Good Ale was a rousing follow up before moving on to practice a couple of the newer additions to the repertoire – "England For Me" where it was generally agreed that removing the verse referring to Cornwall made it more relevant to Sussex and evened up the verses at the end, this was followed by "Come Stranger Come Friend" tried in various keys.  More work was probably required to get these “performance ready”.  Back to the familiar with "Jim the Carter Lad" with advice from Dave to keep it light!  "On Sussex Hills" came next, sung with usual gusto and the first half concluded with "To Be a Farmer’s Boy".  With several suggestions on word emphasis and that the last line be omitted, Dave commented that he was pleasantly surprised how well everyone knew this and brought the first half to a finish. 
 
Before the start of the second half, Dave sang a sample of Dave Webber’s "Lady of Autumn" song, with the thought that this was particularly suitable for late Autumn.  The group liked it and he undertook to get words and demo to Steve W for inclusion on he “Songs to Try” blog.
 
In view of Armistice Day coming up, Dave selected a couple of suitable songs:-
"Follow Me Home" with men and women joining in separately, following some clarification of lines it went well.  "Home Lads Home" came next in a similar theme with the group remembering to lower the volume in the more poignant verses.  
 
At Alan’s request, the group practiced Amaryllis’s version of "Tommy" which was likely to be sung at the upcoming Arundel Orchard performance.  
 
Reverting to a song not often tried, Dave led the group through the Coppers "Birds on the Spray".  To Assist Steve W played Tina’s version of the song which can be found on the SDFS blog. Finally the evening was concluded with the men taking the lead on "Hard Times of Old England" and all singing a rousing "Pleasant and Delightful".
 
Everyone thanked Dave for his efforts on putting together an interesting evening and leading the group efficiently through it, not an easy task!
 
 
Anne Sartain

A Song to Try - Sing We The Virgin Mary

Alan has offered this traditional seasonal song - "Sing We The Virgin Mary".

You'll find the lyrics using this link .

You'll find the tune using this link .

A Song to Try - My Lady of Autumn

Here's a new song offered by Dave Garrard - "My Lady of Autumn".   It is written by Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman, members of the folk band Beggars Velvet.

You'll find the lyrics using this link .

SDFS at the Fernhurst Furnace Open Day - September 14th - also CANCELLED

Very sadly the currently volatile weather, particularly the forecast for tomorrow Sunday September 14th, has taken its toll again. With few singers now available for this event we will unfortunately NOT be singing at the Fernhurst Furnace Open Day as planned, and we have given our apologies to the organisers there.

The venue and event is one of our favourites, so we're sad to miss it this year - but we wish them well for tomorrow and we look forward to singing there again in September 2026.   

Lewes Priory by Candlelight - September 13th - CANCELLED

We are very sorry to say .... 

Due to the worsening weather forecast for the weekend and the likelihood of more rain falling on already sodden ground - the "Lewes by Candlelight" event this Saturday (Sept. 13th) has been cancelled.

Plans have been postponed to the following week -  Saturday September 20th, with hopes of a drier week and a fine evening then.

South Downs Folk Singers - Annual General Meeting - October 2nd 2025

Notice of the S.D.F.S. Annual General Meeting - Thursday October 2nd 2025 

This is will be held at our most central venue - the "The Barn" in Goring, near Worthing on Thursday October 2nd 2025, starting at 7.00pm.   (The full address can be found on our "Welcome" page)

It precedes our Worthing Local Group's October session - so after a short break at around 7.45, from 8.00pm the rest of the evening will be for our singing as usual. 

Singers in all 3 of our Local Groups are invited to attend this joint event.   

(Any new singers planning to attend the Worthing session for the first time - you are very welcome too but, for this month only, please be aware of the later start time for our singing.)  

The AGM is:

A forum for sharing feedback and ideas. 

it requires us to review our Constitution - and from that to reflect on 2024/5 discuss plans for 2025/26. 

It also requires us to elect the SDFS Committee/steering group officers and members for 2025/26.  

Your contributions are invited - please let us know of anything you'd like to have on the Agenda, and even if you can't attend it can be raised on your behalf. 

And - If you would like to stand for election (to a specific role or to be a general member) please contact us as soon as possible.  

Similarly - if you want to nominate, or second the proposal of, another willing singer to join the committee - please identify your and their names to go into the ballot.  (If necessary Seconders for any nominations will be invited at the meeting).  

Voting will take place at the meeting by a show of hands and carried by the majority present.  (If you cannot attend the meeting to vote but would like to have a say on who is elected - please send us the details for your contribution to be taken into account.)

It will be great to see as many singers there as possible (the Barn is big enough to take us all!) - and we look forward to getting the essential business of the meeting done, some productive discussion and planning completed - and then still have time for another Jolly Good Sing!

 

Happy Days at the Saddlescombe Farm Open Day and and the Weald and Downland Museum

With many thanks to our hosts for inviting us, and to our singers for supporting these events.

August 30th at the National Trust's lovely Saddlescombe Farm on their Open Day ....

and then September 6th - at the Weald and Downland Living Museum's during their "Threshing" event  - and happy anniversary to them for their 55th year of opening to the public!

We still have two more opportunities to enjoy 'singing out' this September .... 

Out east at Lewes Priory by Candlelight in the evening on Saturday 13th  

(Fingers crossed it doesn't rain - the event may be moved to the 20th if the weather forecast is bad - and we'll post a notice here if that's the case.)

Then out west the next day, at the Fernhurst Furnace Open Day on Sunday 14th.

Take a look at our Diary Dates page to see details of our local group sessions, and any events we have planned, for the rest of 2025 and into 2026.  

Worthing Local Group Report - Thursday September 4th 2025

Some familiar faces were absent from this month's gathering but nonetheless a valiant band of 20 singers, plus one newcomer who was welcomed to the fold, made the most of our evening at the Barn. Emily couldn't be with us but had Amaryllis kindly stepped in and (supported by Angela S from the sideline) she led us through a variety of songs likely to be sung at our September events.   "All Among the Barley"; Run of the Downs"; "The Worthing Grower" (celebrating compost rather than turmuts); "Hard Times of Old England" and last but not least, the 'usual' version of "Farmer's Toast" (after some confusion about which version, 'shortened' or otherwise, would be used).

After the break and some event notices from Henny, and from one of our newer singers Elizabeth, we resumed with a celebration song planned for use at our next event - at the Weald and Downland Museum during the weekend of their 55th Anniversary.  Rather than the usual "Happy Birthday", Amaryllis suggested we use the older version brought to us a while ago by Alan.  So a brief time was given to rehearsing the words and tune of this - before directions were given to find the words and tune for it on our Blog, to continue preparation at home.   

The seasonal story of "Tommie" ( to the tune of "Fathom the Bowl" and his apple picking adventures came next, followed in similar seasonal mood by "Michaelmas" (written by our own Amaryllis, based on the tune of "Poor Froze Gardeners").  Having not sung this since Michaelmas 2024, the details in its rhythm that differ slightly to the P.F.G's. were found to be more tricky than hoped, so after a few tries all agreed it needed more time to perfect it before airing it in public again.  We moved on with "Country Life" instead, not everyone's favourite but certainly one we know very well - and on that high note we concluded the evening! 

Thank you Amaryllis, and thanks to everyone else there too!

H.  

Revised version of Michaelmas

Amaryliss has added another verse to her song "Michealmas".  You'll find the revised lyrics and and the tune on the Songs and Recording page of this blog.