Sandy and I spent a brilliant two days in the York area from 4-6 February. I meant to blog it straight away but here we go - only 2 weeks late! We visited Ralph Butterfield Primary, Forest of Galtres Primary, ran a training morning for almost 50 adults and then a sell-out concert in Haxby Methodist Church! We also got a rare opportunity to play our ‘non-Fischy’ songs that we write and record as duo Fair Witness (www.fairwitness.net). It was honestly one of the best trips we have done, and hats off to Cameron and Lucy Stirk who organised it all impeccably. We had so much lovely feedback which helps remind us, 12 years on, of the power that music has to cheer people up, make them think and bring them together as a family, school or church. I came away feeling totally blessed and so lucky to have the best job in the world….. thanks everyone.

Jed and I had a great session on Friday evening with around 15 nurses, who had just that day completed a qualification in Compassionate Care. It was an unusual event, as there was no element of training or presenting material for them to use - we were simply booked to do some singing, and use the hour to reflect and celebrate on their achievements. This could have had a cringe factor of 8+  - Fischy with adults? However, the folks were raring to sing and threw themselves into the session with joy, humour and enthusiasm. We were quite moved by their willingness to reveal their ‘inner children’ and I can’t help feeling that this warmth and openness is a wonderful quality for any nurse. We even wrote a song together! Good luck to them all as they seek to promote humanity and compassion in NHS health care. Suzanne

Here is some feedback from someone using our Nativity Resource - The Angry Hotelman.  Thank you Jen!

http://colour-remembered.blogspot.com/2009/12/down-to-earth.html

We have a glittering awards ceremony engagement coming up on Friday night: not MTV or Grammy, but the Kindness Scotland Awards 2009! Schools nominate puils to KS throughout the year for acts of kindness, and we have been asked to open the prize-giving evening  in Edinburgh City Chambers with some Fischy music. I reckon You are a Star will be on the playlist for sure. I can’t think of anything nicer than helping celebrate children’s ability to be kind, caring and community-minded. Go to http://www.kindnesscotland.co.uk/ for some heart-warming stories…

Stephen and Suzanne had an amazing time on Iona last weekend with the International Childrens Assembly and now Stephen has gone off to Ethiopia. Its supposed to be a holiday but rumour has it there will be a concert involved as well ! Nearer to home we’ve had teams in Aberdeen for a series of concerts and school visits and this week and next will be in Hamilton visiting 10 different schools and ending up with a concert in Hamilton College on Friday 30th.

Anne, Fischy Office

Fischy Central Command is humming with activity now that term has started. There are 55 day’s worth of events booked over September, October and November - and still more are coming in! It s a good thing we have our wonderful team of sessional performers to help deliver all this. Places we are going include Aberdeen, Dumfries, the Isle of Wight, Hamilton, Iona, Northern Ireland and Perth. Perhaps we should have a sweepstake competition to guess the number of miles we will cover! As well as all the gigs, we are currently focused on marketing (i.e. making more people across the UK aware of our brilliant music resources), fundraising, and writing songs with children in East Lothian. I’m looking forward to our ‘day away’ in October where all the staff and Directors get a chance to spend some quality time together and muse on where we are at as an organisation. Meanwhile, keep the coffee and biscuits coming….

Thanks to everyone who came along and helped to make our recent concerts such a success. The team had a lot of fun at their Edinburgh Festival and Fringe by the Sea gigs. Special mention and thanks must go to the Mum and Dad who played air guitar with Stephen and Suzanne on Monday night. If you werent there- you should have been !

Now we are frantically getting everything ready for Greenbelt in Cheltenham, packing up our camping gear, musical instruments and cds and trying to fit them all into the van.

We are back in the Northern Lights tent this year with our friends from Iona where there will be a packed program of events including two or three Fischy events each day. All we need now is some good weather…..

Anne

It’s Festival month for us all here at Fischy.

Suzanne, Jed and Sandy are appearing at the Fringe by the sea concert in North Berwick on Friday 14th (11am and 2pm) It’s always fun to perform in North Berwick, we have a lot of great friends there and they have a fine fish and chip shop as well!  Fringe by the sea

At the end of the month we are off to Greenbelt Arts Festival in Cheltenham for our yearly jaunt, we all look forward to this, (apart from the driving!) Greenbelt

We are appearing at Charlotte Chapel (venue 251)on Monday 17th and Tuesday 18th at 6p.m. Suzanne and Stephen will be performing at these concerts. more info

Plenty to keep us busy! Stephen