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News & Goings On
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funday2004review.txt
21st
June
2004
Gornal Community Funday Review
The annual Gornal Community Fun Day went off as planned last Saturday (19th June), despite
intermittently appalling weather that inevitably affected visitor numbers.
Although the sun made valiant if sporadic attempts to break through ominously grey clouds, the event was blighted
by occasionally violent showers and heavy winds. The first of these occurred at around 11.00am and blew down several stalls,
including our brand spanking new (B&Q £14.99) Yampy gazebo.
The timing and ferocity of this brief storm was enough to give some potential attendees the impression that no carnival could
possibly take place in such weather, because the ensuing festival atmosphere was subdued in comparison to previous
spectacularly
successful years. Thanks are due to the Dudley Hospital Radio Roadshow gang who, reliable and enthusiastic as ever,
kept everyone's spirits up - even though the rain put paid to one of their P.A. speakers.
Gemz
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A surprise and most welcome member of the Hospital Radio team was our friend Heather Loat, Chief Reporter of the Dudley News,
who helped
to present the show as well as conducting an interview
with Karl Reynolds, Gornal's 'Knight of Hearts'. Karl appeared on a huge horse decked out in a full suit of armour, in order
to publicise his forthcoming attempt to ride from Berwick to London in aid of the Emily Hart appeal. I'm often asked
what 'yampy' actually means, and sometimes a good example of a word is worth a hundred dictionary definitions.
Now Karl, he's yampy.
A disappointing number of planned attractions 'cried off', for a variety of reasons and with various degrees of notice to the
organisers; you know you're in trouble when even the Police Dog Display Team fails to turn up! This made us
appreciate all the more the performance of Sedgley Morris Men, who are celebrating their 25th anniversary and
arrived in good time to entertain the public with a traditional and unnervingly wickermanlike demonstration of their
art.
Local girl group GEMZ impressed everyone with an assured performance that belied their ages (Beth is 13, Heather 12 and
Ellie just 11). All three have lead vocal capability, so they are able to switch singing roles effectively depending on the
type of song. This flexibility was perfectly illustrated in their final number, a confident rendition of Amazing Grace
a cappella. Shivering in the blustery wind in their parkas, with unfamiliar equipment including a dodgy P.A. and
no monitor, their clarity and tone was indeed amazing. Well done Gemz!
Emma Jayne
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Later in the afternoon, award winning artist EMMA JAYNE treated us to a powerful and confident selection of songs from her
second album, Moving On Up (see www.emmajayne.me.uk. She is a
regular
star performer on the entertainment circuit, including the
Old Bulls Head, Miners Arms and Dudley Arms, and anyone who has seen
her whip up a jam-packed pub crowd to a frenzy would have been somewhat frustrated to see Emma competing with the
Bouncy Castle and a Sack Race for the somewhat sparse audience that remained towards the end of proceedings. Nevertheless,
she belted the songs out in her usual professional and accomplished manner, attracting one new fan at least in the
form of a press photographer present - so look out for her in the local newspapers over the next few days. Happy Birthday
to Emma Jayne by the way, just eighteen this month.
All in all a rather quiet Fun Day this year, in contrast to the sparkling atmosphere and glorious weather of
twelve months ago. Food for thought for the organising Committee, which next meets in September to gauge the success
of the day and hopefully begin planning for 2005.
newsdesk@yampy.co.uk. -->
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