WHOSE BUDDY ARE YOU?
(or SETTLING IN AT SETTLE)

Following the feedback received after the last Summer School, we have decided to set up a system to help students that are new to Giggleswick and the M4P Summer School to settle in and make the most of the school.
We need volunteers from those with past experience at the school who are willing to be available to "buddy" up with a new student or two.

This is where you come into the GRAND PLAN. We have a lot of new student enrolments this year and we want them to feel welcome and settle in as quickly as possible. If you are happy to chat to some of the new students and show them where the classes and social activities are, please let us know.

We shall do our best to link people who are on similar courses so that at least you will have something in common to break the ice. At the time of writing, we have 40 new students at the school and ideally need them all to have a "buddy". We need lots of volunteers to make our new students welcome and “settled” (Get it??)

Please would any willing volunteers contact: Kevin John, 49 Cosmeston Street, Cardiff, CF24 4LQ, tel: 029 2031 8298, e-mail: kevin@m4p.org.uk

ENROLMENTS

We are delighted to report that, at the time of writing, enrolments for this year’s school are up to 110.

This is wonderful news, but we want this school to be a resounding success, so please have another go at persuading your musical friends to give us a try this year. There are still places available on all course except Opera (as parts have now been cast and parts are already being learned!). Contact any of the directors for brochures or email admin@m4p.org.uk .

GIFT-AID

As registered charity, we are now entitled to claim gift aid on donations when the donors have indicated that they wish their donations to be eligible. Some of our regular students, including some who have unfortunately been unable to attend the school this year, have given us generous donations to help us with the initial costs of setting up the organisation.

When a donation is made, however small, if gift aid is claimed we have access to more of the money that you have given. We have therefore attached a gift aid application form to this newsletter and would ask you to complete it and send it in with any donation you might care to make. It only needs completing once, and then remains in force for any further donations to our organisation. A copy will also be made available on the website.

COST v COMFORT

From feedback (and our own personal experiences!), we are aware that some people feel the sleeping accommodation at Giggleswick School is not necessarily what they would choose for themselves. We have been investigating potential alternative accommodation, and there is a certain inevitability about the fact that it would be possible to find accommodation that offered single en-suite rooms, but that it would add, quite considerably, to the cost of the week.

Clearly, we wish to give our students what they want at a price they can afford. To this end, we should appreciate it if you gave this matter some thought and then let us know what you think at the summer school. We need to know what elements of the school are most important to you.

STUDENT FORUM

The student forum is now available on the website. Students can use it to arrange trios, quartets, recruit people for small ensembles etc. Or maybe just chat with other students. Please visit the site www.m4p.org.uk and register on the forum.

CALLING ALL SAXOPHONES

Rod Cotter (Baritone Sax) is interested in getting a saxophone quartet together at the school.
He is enrolled on Jazz Harmony and Improvisation and Chamber Music, and feels that playing a quartet would be a useful addition to the week’s activities. He has some charts available.

Anyone who is interested should contact Rod directly at:

rod.endiocotter@uwclub.net

DIXIELAND JAZZ

There will be informal Dixieland sessions at 9.30 pm every evening at the school (venue tba). All are welcome

If anyone else wishes to recruit people for small ensembles, the next issue will be Summer School News – the final newsletter before the Summer School. Any articles or information should be sent to Jennie Vaughan – contact details bottom right.

We want this newsletter to be useful and informative – and we want you to feel you can use it too. If you have any information you wish to publicise to other summer school students eg:
- you want to recruit members for a “self-organised group” at the school;
- you are seeking or offering a lift to the school;
- you have instruments or music for sale;
please forward a short note to Jennie Vaughan at jennie@m4p.org.uk or by snail mail -
299 Westerton Road,
Tingley,
Wakefield
WF3 1AE
for inclusion in the next issue.