CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SWITCH ON - NEWBURY MARKET PLACE

A number of detailed planning meetings were held prior to the Lights Switch on which were headed by the Chief Executive, to ensure that the event proceeded smoothly and on time. I was therefore very confident that everyone was aware of what was happening at specific times and that all health and safety issues had been addressed. The only aspect which could not be assured was the weather.
On the afternoon of 30 November, Edwina and I, having donned my robes, chain and hat, went from the Town Hall to meet up with the Rev David Stone and the choir in the church. The plan was to move from the Church at 16.30p.m. to link up with the Father Christmas and the procession of children from Speenhamland Primary school who were setting off from the Methodist Church in Northbrook Street. We would meet them at the junction of Bartholomew Street and Mansion House Street, and move into the Market Place, with the stewards nearby to keep a path clear. By this time, the Market Place was getting full of parents with their children. This year the stage, run by Kick FM had been sited closer to the Corn Exchange and there was a much more room in which to move about, particularly around the back.
There we met up with Graeme Murty, the player captain of Reading Football Club and Sian Cook who is the inspiration behind a new charity Swings and Smiles, a project to provide special recreational facilities for handicapped children. Graeme is the Patron of this charity. Both were there to help to switch on the lights, with Sian’s daughter, Amy. Kick FM’s staff worked wonders with interviews and music to keep the crowd entertained and St Nicolas church choir led carol singing until the magic hour of 5 p.m. when the countdown started and Sian, Graeme and I pressed the plunger to set off the lights, to tumultuous applause. This year saw a new lighting display which the Town Council had funded and most people I spoke to considered they were very good. After the switch-on, the rain became quite heavy but some of the more hardy people stayed there and Edwina and I distributed sweets to the children (and to some of the adults) before we returned to the Town Hall where mince pies and mulled wine were served. I felt very sorry for the stewards who could not leave their posts, and particularly those deployed in Victoria Park for the firework display.
Despite the rain, the switching on of the lights went well, and my thanks to all the organisers and volunteers who ensured the smooth and safe running of the event.

OPENING OF THE NEW HUCKNET,BLOSSOMS FIELD, WASH COMMON

Blossoms Field is part of the Wash Common recreation ground and runs alongside Enborne Street. It has been used for informal football and has recently had a netball stand and hoop installed for use by the young people in the area. I was asked to carry out an official opening of a Hucknet on the 24 November at 11a.m. which had been installed a week previously. The hucknet is a conical climbing rope structure some 20 feet high and is suitable for 8 to 14 year old children. It is an innovative way of giving children the opportunity to exercise agility and coordination and to build confidence. It is very robust and has gone through safety tests.
In my speech to open it, I mentioned that Deborah Wyatt and Beverley Lewis of the Wash Common Jubilee Park project had worked hard to raise funds for this equipment. Their aim was to provide more equipment for the 8 to 14 age range within the Wash Common area. The Town Council and from Section 106 contributions from developers added to the funds raised. I also said that this is the continuation of a longer term project. We proposed to expand the range of play equipment that will meet some of the needs of older children, but we also would make it more secure and accessible for the disabled.
After this opening ceremony, we all adjourned to the nearby community centre for hot drinks to thaw us all out, as it was a very cold morning. I am pleased to say that the Hucknet is being used and no damage has been done to it. I hope that this continues.

CARING CAMPS CHRISTMAS SHOPPING DAY

Each year, Camp Hopson hold a special shopping day in their store, specifically to facilitate Christmas shopping for those who are elderly infirm or disabled. This year it was on the 22nd November and I was asked to attend the opening. Edwina Cooper and I arrived at Camp Hopson at 10 a.m. and met the organiser Garry Poulson, the director of the Volunteer Centre, Jonathan Hopson, Andrew Rowles, the Chairman of West Berkshire Council and Nick Hutchins, the Chairman of the West Berkshire Disability Alliance. I was also pleased to see Peter and Shirley Harris, the Mayor and Mayoress of Hungerford there as well. We gathered outside the north entrance and Nick Hutchins performed the opening ceremony and we returned inside the store. Some of us then went up to the restaurant for a welcome cup of coffee and we were told that already buses such as Readibus and other buses driven by volunteers had arrived to bring in customers. We were told that the store’s management had issued over 900 special discount vouchers and they were anticipating hundreds of customers to take advantage of these vouchers. The store was already busy with customers and we had to walk against the tide of people coming in to return to the Town Hall. It is very generous of Camp Hopson to make a special day for the elderly and disabled as it gives them an opportunity well before Christmas to do their shopping. It was certainly welcomed by the people we spoke to.

H.R.H PRINCESS ALEXANDRA’S VISIT TO BRITISH RED CROSS 100 BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

It is always exciting when a member of the Royal family is due to visit Newbury and the visit by HRH Princess Alexandra to the British Red Cross offices in Kingfisher Court on 21 November was no exception. We arrived at 10.40a.m. and met the Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire, Philip Wroughton and the President of the Berkshire Red Cross, Mrs Jane Grievson. There were other Red Cross staff and volunteers from across the County and there was an air of expectancy, and possibly a few nerves. When she arrived, we were presented to her by the Lord Lieutenant. Princess Alexander was intrigued with my chain and pendant and commented on the pendant’s weight. She then was then taken into the building to be shown around the various parts of the building where several presentations of their work were made. Unfortunately, due to the lack of room in parts of the building, we were asked to remain downstairs until the unveiling of the plaque to commemorate the visit. Princess Alexander commended the Berkshire Red Cross on their achievements and congratulated them on their centenary and then she unveiled the plaque to great applause.
Although the visit lasted only an hour , everyone was delighted with her visit and her genuine interest in their work. After her departure, I was presented with a book on the British Red Cross in Berkshire and there were a number of interesting items in it. In 1905 the then Queen Alexandra appealed to all the women of the Empire to join the British Red Cross to aid and assist in the care of wounded service personnel in time of war. This led to a nationwide recruitment based at a County level. It was in 1907 that Mrs Edith Benyon of Englefield House became the first President of the Berkshire Red Cross and the family have been closely involved ever since. It is also noteworthy that Mrs Philip Wroughton was the President between 2002 and 2007.
The Berkshire Red Cross continue their excellent work in the District and in the flooding last year, their ambulance crews in their 4x4 vehicles gave support to the overstretched NHS ambulances and helped families in Tilehurst and Windsor. I have no doubt that whenever a crisis occurs in the County in the future, the Red Cross will be there to give help and we must be grateful for all those who give their time to this wonderful organisation.

40TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF FAIRCLOSE DAY CENTRE

Fair Close Day Centre celebrated its 40th birthday on Thursday 29 November and I together with Edwina Cooper were invited to share in the celebrations that afternoon for tea and entertainment. When we arrived at 2 p.m., the hall was full of people, around about 90 or so, so we found a couple of chairs and waited for the entertainment to begin. The entertainer played an electronic keyboard, sang popular songs and told jokes, so he was pretty versatile. When I mention popular songs, these were from the 1940s and 50s which the assembled pensioners would remember. And they did with some gusto so everyone became quite relaxed and content. Then came the tea and an enormous cake which the kitchen staff had made. I was asked to cut the cake and made a short speech, thanking the staff and volunteers for their efforts in providing the tea and the cake. I congratulated the Centre on achieving forty years and that I was sure it would continue for at least another forty years although I would not be around to see it. Before we left, we were able to speak to many of the guests who were very pleased with this event.

Fairclose is a very valuable resource in the Town, not just for their residents, but also for those living in and around the Town, as it enables the elderly to get a good lunch as well as the company of others. Without it, there would be many lonely pensioners who could not meet others in a such a convivial environment as this provides. Long may it continue.

FUNERAL OF JACK HOLE, FORMER MAYOR OF NEWBURY AT ST. NICOLAS CHURCH

One of the sad occasions of my term of Mayor was to attend the funeral of Jack Hole, a former Mayor and one of the Freemen of the Borough. I went to the church in my full chain as an expression of our great admiration and respect the Town of Newbury had for him. Sadly, the church was not very full but nevertheless, most of the prominent people in the Town were there to pay their last respects to him.

I gave an eulogy in the church as follows, from a Town Council’s perspective.

“When I came to live in Newbury some 30 years ago, I was soon told that if I wanted to know anything about the life and history of the Town and in particular about local government, Jack Hole was the person to talk to. He had arrived here some 45 years earlier and had not only established himself as a successful businessman, running the Tudor Café which many people today still talk about with great affection, but as a Borough Councillor.

He was co-opted onto the Council in 1942 and retained his seat in 1947 at the local elections in what was then the North Ward. In 1950, he was appointed the Mayor of Newbury, one of the youngest townsmen to be honoured since the Borough received its Charter of Incorporation from Queen Elizabeth 1st. At the Mayor Making ceremony, Councillor Jim Freeman proposed his nomination, and spoke of Jack’s record in public life. Amongst these were him taking the lead in 1947 in the relief of flood victims and supplying food to those badly affected. He also spoke of Jack’s success as the Chairman of the Estates and Town Planning Committee, the Civic Publicity and the Finance Committees. He also referred to Jack’s interests outside the Civic sphere, such as the Chamber of Commerce of which Jack was a Past President, the deputy Chairman of the Fairclose Day Centre and the Chairman of the Old Peoples Outing Committee. This Old Peoples Outing is of particular credit to Jack as it is still going strong today. It is only its title has changed to the Mayor’s Drive and Tea party.

In his acceptance speech, Jack paid tribute to his wife Ruth who had been the greatest help to him in their married life and and who would give him the necessary support in his term of office. One of the schemes he wanted to finish was the War Memorial which was the incorporation of those who had fallen in the 2nd World War.

As predicted, his term as Mayor was very successful and subsequently in 1954, he was elevated to the position of Alderman and was the senior member of the Council.

In 1969 in recognition of his outstanding service to the community, Jack was made an Honorary Freeman of the Borough of Newbury, the town’s highest honour and which had only been conferred on six previous occasions. As the Newbury Weekly News reported at the time, over 250 civic dignitaries attended the occasion in the Corn Exchange where they heard Alderman Jim Freeman explain that the honorary freemanship conferred no privileges or rights. In its simplest form, it is a mark of appreciation given by the Town to a person who has stood out amongst his fellows in the service he has given. It is intangible , neither marked by title nor decoration. Recorded yes on a simple scroll in a simple casket but somehow we feel that the message it conveys stretches back to the early history of our country, to lords, serfs and freedmen. Such men were of great character, who worked courageously and had a pride in their town which was a necessary foundation for its well being. Jack worked tirelessly to make this town a better place to live in than it would otherwise have been.

Today we say goodbye to Jack, to whom this town owes a great debt of gratitude. He will be remembered in the chronicles and history of this town as one of the great men of his time and a great inspiration to us all.”

I really cannot add much to that except to reiterate that the Town had lost a good friend who was a great inspiration to us all

NEWBURY ART GROUP EXHIBITION PREVIEW EVENING

The Newbury art group exhibition preview took place in the Town Hall council chamber on the evening of 20 November and I, together with Edwina Cooper, were invited to attend. We were met by their Chairman Len Webb and Amanda Tipple, one of their organisers and an artist in her own right. I had seen them setting up their exhibition during the day and I could not help noticing the quantity of material which was being brought up to the Chamber and I was looking forward to viewing it that evening. On walking around the exhibits, I was impressed at the wide variety of paintings and ceramics on show and it was fairly obvious that the river Kennet was the focus of many of the paintings and not all in the Newbury area. I could see that one painter had been to Italy, judging from the setting.
In my speech, I congratulated them on 60 years of the Art Group in various locations although I believed that the Group had been in existence from the end of the 19th century under another name. I wished them a successful exhibition and that they would get a good response from the public.
I could not resist the temptation to buy one of the paintings which now hangs in my study. It was a great exhibition and I hope that they do well.

TWIN TOWN REUNION IN BAGNOLS-SUR-SEZE

The annual Twin Town reunion took place at Bagnols-sur-Ceze in the Rhone region of France between 14 and 18 November 2007. Edwina Cooper, the Mayoress and I drove to Stanstead Airport and met up with members of the Twin Town association to fly to Marseille by Ryanair. I had no experience of flying by a budget airline so I did not know what to expect. As I have extra long legs, I am usually able to get a seat with plenty of leg room. I could not do that but I did get an isle seat. However, the seats are fixed with no ability to recline so I had an uncomfortable flight. Any refreshments have to be purchased. I was glad that the flight only took 90 minutes. A coach arrived to drive us up to Bagnols and when we arrived, we were taken into the European Village for refreshments and where we met some of the hosts. We were taken to our hotel the St George (we liked the name) to offload our cases and we were then taken with Stewart Durrant to have supper with his hosts with whom he was staying for the 4 day period. We were subsequently driven back to our hotel by the host’s wife. At the hotel, we met up with our German counterparts, the Mayor (Burgermeister) of Braunfels, Herr Wolfgang Keller and his wife. They both spoke excellent English which was good for Edwina who does not speak German and mine is a bit rusty!
The next day, Thursday 15th was regional heritage day so we went to Avignon for the day. Regrettably, we missed the coach and we were taken there by Didier Hamon, an official in the Town Hall responsible for Twin Town activities, in his car as he had a meeting there. We eventually met up with the other delegates at the Palace of the Popes. This is perhaps the time to mention the Mistral. This is a very cold northerly wind which blows down the Rhone valley into the Mediterranean. It cuts through even the warmest clothing and could well, in unsheltered areas, blow you off your feet. The Palace is an enormous complex and has many open areas which even the Mistral can penetrate. The Palace and was built in the 14th century. Initially, Avignon was not part of the Holy See but the owner of lands on the outskirts of Avignon, the Count of Toulouse, left these lands to the Holy See. With problems in Italy, the Holy See moved to Avignon under Pope Clement V, who closely cooperated with King Philip of France and not surprisingly, the next six Popes were all Frenchmen. It was Pope Benedict XII who during his papacy between 1334 and 1342 started the construction of the Palace. The Holy See returned to Rome in 1378, leaving this enormous palace in the hands of a papal legate. This palace was a mighty symbol of ecclesiastical power and although there is not much left in the way of fixtures and fittings, it still retains an element of its former glory. If anyone wishes to visit, choose the summer when the Mistral is not blowing. We left for lunch at the auberge LaTreille on Piot Island and enjoyed the warmth of good food and red wine of the Rhone. After that, we then boarded a pleasure boat which did a circular tour of several miles which gave us a close view of the famous old bridge, le Pont d’Avignon. The original bridge was built in the 12th century but was mostly destroyed in 1226 and only the small chapel remained intact. A new bridge was built a few years later and survived intact until the 17th century when a flooded Rhone swept part of the bridge’s arches away and remains as much today. Architecturally, it is a gem but I am surprised the authorities have done nothing to it to make it more of a tourist attraction.
After the boat trip, we had free time to explore Avignon and do some shopping. Edwina took the in initiative of buying a scarf to protect herself from the Mistral and then we went into le Place de l’Horloge where the local wine growers were offering samples of the new wine. Then there came the procession of the wine guilds from throughout the Rhone wine region in their gowns, hats and regalia. It was a colourful procession and bystanders cheered on their local guilds as they processed by. They then gathered outside to sing their guild wine songs before going into the nearby Town Hall for a celebratory meal. We all returned to the coach for the drive back to Bagnols. That evening, the Mayors and their partners were entertained to supper at a local restaurant by the Mayor of Bagnols, Mr Rene Cret. It was a very pleasant and relaxed evening with good food and more ‘young’ wine. It was an opportunity to speak with other Mayors and their partners and although French was spoken most of the time, English was also spoken which was a relief.
We were pleased to return to the hotel as it had been a long day.
On Friday, I was involved with a lengthy session with the other delegates in talking through the next years programme while Edwina was taken off for a tour of the town and its environs, including a visit to a recycling plant. We then met up for lunch at the multicultural room at the Escanaux before we went off by coach to a nuclear power exhibition at Marcoule, organised by the CEA, the French power company. It covered subjects such as nuclear radiation, waste, protective clothing, nuclear rods and components. We then returned to Bagnols and to the hotel to freshen up and get ready for the evening. We were taken with Mr and Mrs Keller to the Venejan Wine cellars for a buffet and to taste the new wine. We were all amazed at the size of the complex: some three stories high and divided into four of five different areas, it processes and stores gallons (or should I say litres) of wine in vats before being bottled. We were offered canapés with the wine which seemed to improve as the evening progressed. Eventually, the wine and food finished and we were driven back to Bagnols. As we were hungry for a proper meal, we were able to get the last table at a fish restaurant which seemed to be the only one open. Afterwards we walked back to the hotel which was about half a mile away.
Saturday was the last full day in Bagnols and it began at 10 a.m. with the unveiling of a direction post at the Jean Monnet European roundabout on the edge of town. Its branches indicated each of the Twin Towns and their direction and distance from Bagnols. The Mistral wind was still blowing so we did not tarry long there but walked back to the town and to the European village where each of the Twin Town set up their samples of produce from their home countries for the others to sample. The Newbury contingent had brought a wide range of British cheeses together with a map showing where they originated, and although some of the local people thought it was rather like taking coals to Newcastle, (or at least the French equivalent), they were impressed enough to taste it and there was little left at the end of the morning. We did visit the other stands and it was remarkable to see such a wide range of food and drink throughout the European Twin Towns. After a buffet lunch, we were free to wander around the town in the afternoon before we returned to the hotel to change for the climax of the reunion, the official dinner and dance.
Early that evening, we were collected with the Mayor of Braunfels and his wife and driven to les Eyrieux sports centre and entered the sports hall which had been transformed into a large function room for around 300 people, complete with a stage, dance band, loudspeaker system, and over 50 white cloth bedecked tables and a large dance floor. A small army of waiters were waiting in the wings to serve the meal. We were taken to a bar where we were served aperitives before being taken to our table. I had assumed that we would be seated with our respective delegations but this was not to be. We were seated with the Bagnols Mayor’s staff who were pleased to meet us. Language did not seem to be a problem.
I should perhaps say at this stage that I was in a suit and wore the Newbury Town pendant. I noted that none of the other Mayors wore anything which would identify them as such. Even the Mayor of Bagnols did not wear a tricolour sash as I was told they do wear sometimes. Each of the visiting Mayors were prepared to give a speech and these were to be given during the dinner. I was somewhat nervous as I had prepared mine in French and although I had been tutored beforehand by Amelie Rousset of Park House school, it was a daunting prospect. I remember I was about the fourth speaker and the previous two had given their speeches in their own language with an interpreter on hand, so I felt better about it.
I believe there was some surprise I did give my speech in French as those in the Mayor’s office knew I spoke little French. It was well received so I was able to relax for the rest of the evening. There was an exchange of gifts and I presented the Bagnols Mayor with a model of a narrow boat with a brass engraving on it, purchased from the Stone Building in Newbury. To the other Mayors, I gave a copy of the book describing the Town Mosaic on the wharf. I was given what seemed to be a long box which was gift wrapped and which I did not open that evening. There was dancing after the dinner which was led by Rene Cret and it was the cue for Edwina and I to get onto the dance floor. It did develop into a crush on the floor but somehow we survived. The time flew and before we knew, everyone started to leave. Despite the cold evening, we did walk back to the hotel and retired for the night.
After breakfast, we said our goodbyes to Wolfgang and his wife who did say that whenever we were near to Braunfels, they would be pleased to see us. I have no doubt we will see them in Newbury on a future reunion. Later that morning, we went into town and had a good lunch at a restaurant at the top of the town before getting to the coach which took us to the airport at Marseilles. Checking in my luggage of two bags, I was told that it exceeded the 15kgs and that I could transfer
some of the contents into my hand baggage. This I did including the as yet unwrapped gift. To my horror, the box contained a bottle of wine which they would not allow me to take on board. Despite my protestations, they would not budge. I was not pleased and I was glad when we landed at Stanstead Airport and back to a cold and very wet England.
Despite this trauma, it was a wonderful reunion and I wrote to Rene Cret thanking him and his staff for their kindness and hospitality. We might even return, but not by a budget airline.

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY PARADE AND SERVICE

Remembrance Sunday is always a significant and important event in the civic calendar and it is a time when everyone has the opportunity of remembering those who have given their lives in the two World Wars and in more recent conflicts throughout the world.
As is usual for this event, Councillors in their robes and invited guests, including officers from the armed forces both regular and reserves, the emergency services and other organisations all assembled in the Council Chamber at around 10 a.m. We always rely on Dave Stubbs, the Town Marshall to get the procession in the correct order and this he did and we moved sedately out of the Town Hall and up Northbrook Street to the saluting dais. We waited for the parade to march down from the Clock Tower with crowds of people lining the street. The President of the Royal British Legion and the Commanding Officer of the Royal Engineers at Hermitage and I jointly took the salute. It was heart warming to see so many youngsters taking part in the parade and indeed in the crowds of people lining the pavements.
We then moved to the War Memorial for a short memorial service which included the two minutes silence. After this service, we moved to St Nicolas Church preceded by the Royal British Legion standard bearers. The church service was led by the Rector, The Rev David Stone and it was good to see that the church was full to remember those who had given their lives for their country. After the service, we processed back to the Town Hall where I thanked all those responsible for the parade and church services. The Royal British Legion had invited everyone back to their premises for refreshments which many of us did.It was a memorable morning and fortunately the weather was kind to us, which made a change

BLACKET AND TURNER LTD BUFFET LUNCH

Following on from attending a coffee morning at St Nicolas Church Hall organised by the Alzheimer’s Society, Edwina Cooper and I were invited to attend a buffet lunch at Blacket and Turner, the Newbury Weekly News, by way of a thank you to those who had helped raise money for the Over-80s Parcel Fund. As it was a fine morning we decided to walk from the Town Hall along the canal towpath to Faraday Road. A great number of people use the towpath from that side of the town to go into the centre and to the Market Place, particularly when the market is operating. We were met by Jeremy Willis, the NWN Chairman and talked to other guests. There were Rotary Club members, who spend a great deal of their time and effort in raising money and distributing the parcels to the hundreds of houses where the Over-80s live. We also talked to Debbie Howes who runs the Clothes Shop in Pound Street with her mother Ann who lives near to Edwina. Jeremy Willis very kindly showed us around the printing area after lunch. The press was printing off copies of another paper and it was an awesome sight as thousands of copies were being sent around the spiral channel from the large printers. The whole operation was computerised driven and the printing facility had not reached its capacity, even though other papers in the region were printed there.It was a very interesting lunch time and we were grateful to Jeremy for lunch and for taking us around the production area

ALZHEIMER SOCIETY COFFEE MORNING

Edwina Cooper and I were invited to attend the Alzheimer Society’s coffee morning on Thursday 8 November 2007 at St. Nicolas Church hall. We had been to one or two of their functions and were looking forward to visiting them again. When we got there, it was crowded out with supporters and friends and their idea of a coffee morning was to have a number of stalls selling materials, bric-a-brac and other items as well as serving coffee. Having bought a welcome cup of coffee and a biscuit, we talked to a number of people we had met before and then went around the various stalls. Edwina latched onto a framed photographic montage of the River Thames and as it showed the road her son’s house was in, she bought it as a present for him. There were a number of good framed and unframed prints but my eyes caught onto a beer mug which originated from Germany. It has an ornate brown exterior and had a hinged metal lid, designed to keep flies out of the beer. I was more than pleased to purchase that. It now occupies a place on the bureau shelf at home. Our purchases have allowed the Alzheimer Society to use the money to support its charitable work, which they do so well. Regrettably, we could not spend any more time there as we had another engagement that lunchtime.

POPPY APPEAL LAUNCH – CORN EXCHANGE

Edwina Cooper and I were invited to the launch of the Poppy Appeal by the Royal British Legion at the Corn Exchange on Thursday 1st November 2007. The Launch was in the balcony bar and there we were met by the President of the Newbury Branch of the Royal British Legion Michael Westropp and his wife, the Chairman Robin Hicks and the Vice Chairman Bill Hopkins. The RBL does exceptionally good work for ex-servicemen and women and gives financial and practical support when needed. The annual poppy appeal raises millions of pounds and its members are regularly seen throughout the Newbury area with their collecting boxes in all weathers. People in Newbury are very generous and I have no doubt that the money collected this year will surpass last year’s total.
After the reception, we were invited into the auditorium to see a Chas and Dave performance. Now, this was a new experience for me but Edwina had seen them on television and had enjoyed
their performance. It turned out that there there were three in the group, with a drummer to give them backing. Chas and Dave began with some popular ballads with both on their guitars and they were very professional and had a great audience who gave them loud and prolonged applause. There was someone in the audience who was so carried away that he was gyrating in the aisles. After the interval, Chas showed how versatile he was by changing from his guitar to the keyboard. He said that he was self-taught and great credit to him for that. His keyboard skills were really appreciated by his audience and they finished with loud and continuous applause.
We met them after their performance and they had been mobbed by their fan who wanted copies of their CD. They said that they always get a warm reception when they come to Newbury and hopefully that it would not be too long before they visited again.