During the Stainsby festival I met up with an old friend and Headteacher of a Primary school in Derbyshire.
I had worked for 4 years at her school, training the kids to be DCF’s (Drum Circle Facilitators) on a funded project called Creative Partnerships, some years back.
Creative Partnerships was the UK’s flagship creative learning programme, running throughout England from 2002 until 30 September 2011, when funding was withdrawn by Arts Council England.
We chatted about the current political scenario re Education in the UK ( we both lean to the left ) and also DrumTrek.
‘It would be lovely to see you in school again if you can fit us in during your Trek and we will happily make a donation’
I had planned to hang out with Barry Wakefield before going to Birmingham for my evening DrumTrek leg but I offered her a Tues morning slot as her school was 30 only mins from Nottingham.
After breakfast with Barry I headed off to the school and was ready to start by 9.00am…I ran 5 x 30 min sessions with all the kids in the Drum Yurt and we had a ball. The learning from before was still there.
This is a school with ‘chops’ ( Drum Skillz) and a high level of rhythmical expertise. I spent some more time with Lynne, the Head, catching up on all manner of things before I hit the road once more.
A short motorway service stop for fuel ( for human and vehicle) and onwards towards Birmingham and the evening circle at Cheswick Village Green, which was organised and hosted by Tim Kindred and his family.
I met Tim on a drum circle Playshop some years back and we have stayed in touch via facebook mostly.
He was very excited to be holding a leg of DrumTrek on his front door step…literally.
Tim works as a Teaching Assistant and does a lot with SEN (Special Educational Needs) children.
The setting was quintessentially English and very beautiful. Tim had put in a lot of effort to set up the circle, promote it and, once he remembered to turn on the slow cooker, produce some very tasty grub pre circle. 😉
We ate and then people started to arrive. Always that tiny ‘butterflies in the tummy moment’ and the question ‘Will anyone come?’
They always do, although I did once do a circle for one person ( Another story for another day)
This was a truly ‘community’ circle. Every member of the population was present. Kids, mums, dads, grans and grandads, dogs, drummers, non drummers and Ukulele players!!!!
All the colours of the Rainbow to match our circle’s wonderful centre-piece.
We had over 60 folk show up and we had lots and lots of fun.
Here’s the vid. It speaks more than I could. Thank You Tim and Family. Top Job.xxx
Mileage Today: 206
Cumulative: 2397
DrumTrek 