30-YEAR AWARD TO TED SMITH

The British Association of Barbershop Singers gives out long service awards, but you have to be a dedicated follower of the genre to earn one. A number of our members have achieved their 25-year badges. However, Ted Smith has gone one better, and secured the coveted 30-year award. Our Chairman, David Tidd, presented Ted with his badge, in front of The Downsmen and their partners, at a recent barbecue hosted by Cathy and Digby Ridge.

Ted was singing with The Concordes in Carshalton before coming with the members of that chorus to start The Downsmen in Epsom. If you haven’t spotted Ted, you will have certainly seen his lovely Riley motorcar arriving at our sing-out venues towing the trailer containing our risers.

Not only would we like to congratulate Ted on his award, we would like to thank him, and his wife, Linda, who used to sing with a ladies’ chorus, for all their efforts on behalf of the barbershop movement over the years.