COLD RECRUITING A HOT SUCCESS

We handed out leaflets at Sainsbury’s in Cobham and, on a freezing cold day in January, we sang outdoors in Leatherhead High Street and handed out our ‘Learn to Sing in Harmony’ notices. The following week we tried the same exercise under cover of the Ashley Centre shopping mall in Epsom. Was it worth it? Well this publicity, combined with posters and adverts in libraries, music shops and newsagents’ windows, meant that 22 men signed on for the course.

That was a good start, but inevitably a few fell by the wayside as the lessons progressed. However, the mini concert on 17th March, to celebrate the end of the course with family and friends, was a great success. The students sang the three numbers they had learnt, and then The Downsmen filled the rest of the evening with songs from their repertoire. Even the audience joined in ‘Harmony Collage’, after warming up properly with a few yawns and stretches.

The final outcome was a real credit to retiring MD, Eileen Mason, as ten of the course recruits signed up to join the club. Even those who could not commit, due to pressure of work or other factors, said how much they had enjoyed the experience. The photo on the left shows both the new and old (not age-wise of course!) at the rehearsal centre.