Saturday night’s alright for… dancing! by Lucy Wellington

Billingham Green was alive with the sound of music in June this year, St Cuthbert’s welcomed the Bilsdale Silver Band.

With its imposing stonework, choir-friendly acoustics and long history almost heavy in the air, the Church is certainly an evocative place to visit – and a perfect location to experience the stirring sounds of silver band music live.

Travelling from as far afield as Helmsley and as close as Cowpen, the 20-piece band treated us to a fantastic selection of classic pop hits from across the years, interspersed with the occasional showtune, and, of course, a number of beautifully played hymns. The music choices and set list seemed purposely designed to demonstrate that past, present and future needs can all be met in the same space. How easily new and old, past and present, in communion together can be used to preserve something vital for our future.

The great Christine Britland, who acts not only as conductor, baton-twirler, and compere understands this. She expertly ushered us through the evening, with a little help from her litany of bad jokes and friendly bantering with her band. And her encouragement for people to show their appreciation by getting up and dancing but it seemed no one’s toe-tapping would turn into more. And then… one man stood up and It. Was. On.

"...a perfect location to experience the stirring sounds of silver band music live."

Just as the band played the opening lines of ‘Oh Pretty Woman’ – timed to perfectly sync with the next few words ‘Walking down the street’, congregation and Friends member, Geoff Timmins, local legend, dancer, backflipper, singer, squeezebox man and a man destined for true greatness that night, began to dance.

And boy, can he dance. A man in his 80s, with arthritis and problem knees was not only the first person brave enough to get up and demonstrate his enjoyment of the music. He got up and he shook what the good lord gave him. It was funny, it was life-affirming but the best part was how good he was – he had the moves. He wasn’t out there playing the fool; he was out there, paying homage to everyone who had helped and shared in a fantastic evening, and to all those who pitch in to keep St. Cuthbert’s doors open.

And fresh from manning the refreshments table, with no time to stop at the licensed bar for a snifter of Dutch courage our fantastic Friend Linda Cook, despite a broken ankle, was up there with Geoff, frugging away and matching him step for step. They were made to partner each other. It was a real treat.