Officers and Committee

Hon. President: Anthony Hewitt

Hon. Vice-Presidents: Eira Leach, Mary Powney

Chair: David Telford-Reed
Overbeck, Ings, Kendal, LA8 9PZ. 01539 822036

Vice-Chair: Judith Egan

Hon. Treasurer: David Telford-Reed

Hon. Secretary: John Hiley
Woodside Cottage, Ings, Kendal, LA8 9PY. 01539 457032

Committee: Jo Wood, Sarah Davies, Jonathan Thackeray

History

The Keldwyth Singers, a Lake District choir was founded in 1973 by the late Reg Griffiths. The choir performed throughout Cumbria and sometimes further afield, usually by invitation and in fund raising towards the Award fund. The proceeds from their record/cassette ‘Music in Grasmere’, and in more recent times, individual donations and the sale of tickets for the Award’s Preliminary and Finals Concert enable the award to continue helping young musicians from Cumbria.

Following Reg Griffiths’ death in 1989, the choir was disbanded, but the Award, started in 1983, together with the support it gives to young, talented musicians, continues. The Award is now organised by a small committee and is supported financially through donations, subscriptions and ticket sales for the two annual concerts. As a registered charity The Keldwyth Award Society encourages interested individuals or groups to donate annually to support the aims and objectives of the Award.

Sadly 2015 saw the loss of two staunch supporters of the Award. Anne Griffiths was an integral part of the award from its inception, being a member of The Keldwyth Singers and, as the wife of their Musical Director, Reg Griffiths, worked tirelessly in support of the Award. Anyone who experienced Anne’s fantastic catering at the concert evenings at Field Head Farm, Outgate, will never forget them. Determined that the Award should continue after Reg died, Anne became the chairman of the new committee and continued to organise the running of the Award. She became the first President of the Award and although not in the best of health held the position until she passed away in January 2015.

Geoffrey Blake was also an outstanding supporter of The Keldwyth Singers and the Keldwyth Award. The recording of the choir’s ‘Music in Grasmere Church’ was down entirely to Geoffrey’s skill and investment in recording equipment. He was responsible for the recordings, the production of the original LP, the cassette and finally the CD of the choir’s performance. It was the sales of these recordings that produced the original funds to launch the award in 1983.

     Registered Charity No. 509677