The Allsimons take Barnard Castle by Storm

We had a great night on Saturday 1st February at St Mary’s Church Hall when members of our u3a gathered for a rejection of the Wintertime Blues. The band, featuring our very own Bob Tuddenham and his two music collaborators, Simon and Simon, plus their sound man Steve wowed us all with their versatility and musicality, playing accordion, guitars, piano and with strong vocals with harmonies. Their songs and instrumentals covered a wide range of genres, from Celtic folk to some rock classics with a bit of Appalachian in the mix. One of the Simons was a particularly articulate raconteur and gave the walkers among us a cautionary tale in classic Stanley Holloway style.

So we had an evening of great entertainment and the comment going around was, “who knew?” about our Bob. The raffle with its mystery prize proved an attention grabber, and the feasts brought by the members on a BYO basis were a wonder to behold. Hazel and David’s enviable picnic basket was remarkable and probably one of the more sober spreads of the night.

Massive thanks and appreciation go to the Allsimons who were incredibly generous with their time, energy and conviviality.

The socials group have lots more planned for the year, including the picnic in June – so watch this space.

Annie Clouston