A reunion event featuring members and supporters of a Cornish choir took place at the St Erme Community Centre recently.

Filled almost to the point of overflowing, Trelawney Male Choir members met to reflect on the wonderful times they spent together taking the fantastic Cornish male choir ‘wall of sound’ to the diaspora in Australia, Singapore and New Zealand and Canada.

Almost ten years to the day, the choir touched down in Toronto to begin what was to be their last tour together.

It proved to be a joyous and at times poignant afternoon filled with laughter and conversation as people gathered for what one attendee described as, “our last meeting; our last reunion; our last ‘shout’ together and our last ‘supper’!”

The afternoon began with a quiet reflection on those choristers and supporters who have sadly passed away.

MC, Jim Christophers, observed that the choir has lost ‘legends and stalwarts’, not just of the Trelawny Choir, but of male voice singing in the Duchy. In particular, memories were shared of Liz Sidebotham, the choir’s accompanist, who passed away earlier in the year.

Following this, the choir ‘formed up’ for one last time and, under the direction of Elaine Tangye and accompanist Phil Taylor, sang a short selection of pieces from the choir’s repertoire.

The performance gained a rapturous reception as, without rehearsal and with 10 years elapsing since they last sang together, the choir gave a remarkably polished performance.

Attendees were asked to bring a plate of food to sustain everyone through the afternoon. The spread on offer was both excellent and extensive with more tables having to be brought out to accommodate the overflow.

Over the years, Trelawny Male Choir has raised funds to cover their own expenses.

With the choir sadly finishing, the remaining fund now had to close and during the afternoon a cheque for £2169.35 was presented by the choir’s president, David Tangye, and secretary (and tour organiser), Adrian Abbott, to Cornwall International Male Choral Festival’s chairman, Bruce Taylor, to help fund the biennial Festival.

Proceeds from the raffle, which totalled £226 and was organised to cover the cost of the event, will be donated to a local cancer research charity.

Prior to bringing the afternoon to a close with the lusty singing of Trelawny, thanks were offered especially to Margaret Rowe and Jo Elliott whose initiative sparked the idea for a reunion and whose hard work, with the help of others like Elaine Tangye and Jim Christophers, brought it to fruition.

Val Bidgood succinctly summed up the event. She said: “It was a wonderful afternoon, enjoyed by all - the singing was amazing, there was loads of chat, photographs shared, old friendships renewed. It was a thoroughly emotional get together.

Trelawny Male Choir may have finished but they will all carry on singing with their own choirs. Choir members will continue to bump into each other at future joint concerts and at the CIMCF weekend next May.