A ukulele group in Huddersfield is appealing for new members as it wants to double its size.

Friends of Beaumont Park Ukuleles – or BP Ukes for short – now has 10 to 15 members attending its weekly sessions and wants to double that to 30.

One of the members is retired headteacher Richard Bottom, a violin and viola player who has played with Huddersfield Philharmonic Orchestra for more than 30 years along with Slaithwaite Philharmonic and the Valley Sinfonia Chamber Orchestra.

Richard, who was headteacher at Wilberlee Junior & Infant School in Slaithwaite for 20 years, revealed why he joined the ukulele group.

“In July 2021 I suffered a serious shoulder injury and it got so bad I thought my violin playing days were over,” he said. “I was desperate to find an instrument I could play in a group, as much for the social aspect as the musical side.

“I’d seen Beaumont Park Ukes rehearsing on several occasions when walking through the park and decided to take the plunge and buy myself a ukulele to try, in the hope I might be able to join at some point in the future.

“A year later and quite by chance I saw a poster inviting new members to join. I’d taught myself the basics of finger picking and a few chords so decided to have a go. I was invited to attend a session to see what the group was about in December 2022, joined the following January and I’ve been a member ever since.”

The ukulele, made famous by 1940s comedian and musician George Formby, is a four-stringed instrument that looks like a miniature classic guitar.

 

 

Beaumont Park Ukulele Group was formed in February 2013 and over the years has played at a range of venues including the Mrs Sunderland Festival and Holmfirth Music Festival.

The group’s most recent appearance was entertaining the residents at Southfield Court Care Home in Almondbury and the group also plays at Beaumont Primary Academy school every Christmas.

The group meets on Tuesday afternoons from 2pm to 4pm at Beaumont Park Visitors’ Centre.

The first half is led by a teacher from Musica Kirklees, followed by a sing and strum session for the second hour.

Richard added: “Over recent years numbers have been declining and the group is now actively working to encourage both experienced and new players to join.

“There is a wide range of abilities within the group from people who can only play a few chords to quite proficient players. One of the attractions of playing the ukulele is that you can learn two or three chords quite quickly and join in a lot of the songs and pieces we play. Sessions are well structured so everyone can play, whatever their ability.

“People can easily learn the basics themselves with plenty of videos on YouTube. Anyone with an interest is welcome to join or come and sit in on a session to see what we do.

“You don’t need to be able to read music to have a lot of fun with a ukulele and playing any musical instrument in a group can have a positive impact on your wellbeing.”

The best way to contact the group is by email at bpukes@gmail.com, message Adele on 07950 275211 or through the group’s Facebook at https://www.fobp.co.uk/groups/fobp-tuesday-ukulele-group/

Written by ANDY HIRST who runs his own Yorkshire freelance journalism agency AH! PR (https://ah-pr.com/) specialising in press releases, blogging, website content, copywriting and ghost-writing autobiographies.