Tuning up for Teesdale's first community music festival

A community music festival launched in Teesdale at the weekend aims to bring performers, residents and children together.
Music lovers united at St Mary’s Church, in Barnard Castle, on Saturday morning to sing, play and applaud the start of the inaugural Teesdale Community Music Festival.
There will be a series of events in June including workshops, a “big sing” and a celebration concert.
The initial event was organised by Annette Butters to let everyone know what was being planned.
She said: “We want everyone to get involved – you don’t need to be a brilliant musician. We’re going to take this out into the community. The whole idea is about linking groups to get a strong community.”
St Mary’s Community Music Group, which has recently been set up by enthusiastic players, performed at the launch event, along with Teesdale community choir No Added Sugar.
The main festival kicks off on Friday, June 9, with a “big sing” involving local schools at St Mary’s church. On Saturday, June 10, there will be an instrumental workshop at The Witham involving Cream Tees and the church’s community music group.
Later that day there will be a song composition workshop for 11 to 18-year-olds with teacher Andy Yeadon.
June 10 will also see a musical tea party for residents of local care homes, their friends and families.
Teesdale Community Music Festival will culminate with a celebration concert that evening featuring Barnard Castle Brass Band, No Added Sugar and other performers.
More details and timings will be announced nearer the date.
Schools already signed up include Gainford, Ingleton and Green Lane.
“That’s already about 80 children so it’s going to be really good,” said Ms Butters who has recently moved to the area and came up with the initial idea.
“We want to offer a church for everybody,” said Ms Butters, who is a peripatetic  musical teacher, church organist and former Army musician.
She helped set up the church’s singing group, which meets on Fridays between 5pm and 6pm in the church.
They perform secular, gospel and other kinds of music.
County councillors Richard Bell, George Richardson, James Rowlandson and Ted Henderson helped fund the music festival through their personal budgets.
Cllr Richardson said: “It’s great to see everyone together enjoying themselves, especially across the age groups.”