NEWCHURCH Ladies’ Choir is celebrating its 45th anniversary.
The choir was first formed as a WI choir back in 1962, at the suggestion of Mrs Blow, when they practised at the Pointer Inn.

At a time when Christian names were not used, Mrs Jewson was elected their first choir mistress and Mrs Groves their pianist. Ivy Welstead, landlady of the Pointer Inn, took over the conducting when Mrs Jewson left the Island and she handed over to Maisie Goodchild in 1965.

At that time the choir had 14 members and performed at the local Newchurch WI concerts.
It became Newchurch Ladies’ Choir in 1994 as more non-WI members wanted to join and they moved to the parish hall for choir practices.

“We are now celebrating our 45th year as a choir and have 33 members,” said Mrs Goodchild, who with Jenny Bawdon, is a founding member.

“We are very lucky to have Janet Colenutt as our pianist, with Beryl Millband as her deputy. Over the years we have been lucky to have had Sybil Millard, Basset Stevens, Elizabeth Bawdon and Vera Jones to play for us.
“Our uniforms have gone from plain black dresses to blues, mauves, greens and now a lovely wine colour.”

Over the years, the choir has entertained various clubs, societies, church festivals and has also sung at weddings and funerals. The choir has given concerts with the Newchurch Male Voice Choir, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, including a memorial for the late Bassett Stevens, who was a long-standing and extremely valuable friend of both choirs. He had a long career with the BBC and, on his retirement to Alverstone, wrote many arrangements for both choirs.
“This particular concert held in his memory marked the foundation of The Bassett Stevens Memorial Fund, set up by both choirs to help Sandown High School students wishing to study music in their further education.

“We still keep in touch with our roots and sing at the annual WI carol concert each year, along with other choirs,” Mrs Goodchild said.

The choir also performed at the Festival of Remembrance at Ryde Town Hall and has supported many other charities, including The Earl Mountbatten Hospice and the IW Society for the Blind.

The choir meets every Wednesday in the parish hall between 7.15pm and 9pm and anybody interested in joining should contact either Pat Matten on 865253 or Mrs Goodchild on 402571.