HELP FOR HEROES
Romany Road members Ian and Patsy Patterson's son John was medically discharged from the army after 17 years service. John is now actively involved in a website dedicated to raising money for the national charity HELP FOR HEROES, which is sponsered by Princes William and Harry, David Beckham and many others. John has offered two books for sale on the website, they make excellent presents and will raise money for a worthwhiole charity at the same time. Everyone is invited to visit and support the site on www.forcesgonemad.co.uk If anyone has any funny stories about the airforce or navy, or would like to order copies of the books (priced £9.99 each which includes postage and packaging) please write to:-
J. Patterson, 3 Poole Road, Hadnall, Shrewsbury, SY4 4BG
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A Celebration of Traditional Gypsy Culture was held on
Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th September 2007
at the
Weald & Downland Open Air Museum
Town Lane, Singleton, Chichester, Sussex PO18 OEU
Where do we start? What a wonderful weekend we all enjoyed at the Weald and Downland Museum. Music, dance, demonstrations, displays, food and crafts celebrating the traditional Romany way of life, enthralled both the public and the Gypsy community alike.
The event offered visitors the opportunity to learn more about the often-misunderstood Gypsy lifestyle, and also a chance to join in. This included singing along with highly talented singers and musicians, horse and cart rides and a chance to enjoy traditional Gypsy fare. There were demonstrations of many typical Romany crafts including peg-making, flower-making, leadwork, sign-writing, wood carving and wagon repair, together with many beautiful examples of Gypsy wagons and transport through the ages. Stalls sold Gypsy wares and many of the old crafts were displayed and admired by the hundreds of people who came.
Old friends met up and many new friendships were forged. For those of us who slept on site, evenings were spent round the fireside where musicians and singers such as Charlie Smith, Sarah the Singing Gypsy, The Orchard Family and Bob Lovell (who was visiting from New Zealand) gave impromptu performances. The weather was glorious, as was the countryside around us - and we all sat singing well into the night.
Thanks must go to Greg Yates and his team for organising such a big event so brilliantly! Everything seemed to go like clockwork and despite the huge effort that must have gone into it, it retained a homely, very friendly and welcoming atmosphere.
The response to Romany Road was wonderful. Many people promised to send new material for our journals and for the website, so we look forward to that.
So a really big thank you to everyone who contributed to a lovely weekend. Singers who sang their hearts out, caterers who provided excellent food, children who raced the most beautiful Gypsy ponies, a beautiful little girl (name unknown) who mesmerised us as she danced along with some wonderful continental Gypsy musicians - you all made us proud!!
Below Picture People beginning to assemble to welcome many brilliant acts on that day
Romany Road members Ian and Patsy Patterson's son John was medically discharged from the army after 17 years service. John is now actively involved in a website dedicated to raising money for the national charity HELP FOR HEROES, which is sponsered by Princes William and Harry, David Beckham and many others. John has offered two books for sale on the website, they make excellent presents and will raise money for a worthwhiole charity at the same time. Everyone is invited to visit and support the site on www.forcesgonemad.co.uk If anyone has any funny stories about the airforce or navy, or would like to order copies of the books (priced £9.99 each which includes postage and packaging) please write to:-
J. Patterson, 3 Poole Road, Hadnall, Shrewsbury, SY4 4BG
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Celebration of Traditional Gypsy Culture was held on
Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th September 2007
at the
Weald & Downland Open Air Museum
Town Lane, Singleton, Chichester, Sussex PO18 OEU
Where do we start? What a wonderful weekend we all enjoyed at the Weald and Downland Museum. Music, dance, demonstrations, displays, food and crafts celebrating the traditional Romany way of life, enthralled both the public and the Gypsy community alike.
The event offered visitors the opportunity to learn more about the often-misunderstood Gypsy lifestyle, and also a chance to join in. This included singing along with highly talented singers and musicians, horse and cart rides and a chance to enjoy traditional Gypsy fare. There were demonstrations of many typical Romany crafts including peg-making, flower-making, leadwork, sign-writing, wood carving and wagon repair, together with many beautiful examples of Gypsy wagons and transport through the ages. Stalls sold Gypsy wares and many of the old crafts were displayed and admired by the hundreds of people who came.
Old friends met up and many new friendships were forged. For those of us who slept on site, evenings were spent round the fireside where musicians and singers such as Charlie Smith, Sarah the Singing Gypsy, The Orchard Family and Bob Lovell (who was visiting from New Zealand) gave impromptu performances. The weather was glorious, as was the countryside around us - and we all sat singing well into the night.
Thanks must go to Greg Yates and his team for organising such a big event so brilliantly! Everything seemed to go like clockwork and despite the huge effort that must have gone into it, it retained a homely, very friendly and welcoming atmosphere.
The response to Romany Road was wonderful. Many people promised to send new material for our journals and for the website, so we look forward to that.
So a really big thank you to everyone who contributed to a lovely weekend. Singers who sang their hearts out, caterers who provided excellent food, children who raced the most beautiful Gypsy ponies, a beautiful little girl (name unknown) who mesmerised us as she danced along with some wonderful continental Gypsy musicians - you all made us proud!!
Below Picture People beginning to assemble to welcome many brilliant acts on that day